The Uyo zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of 12 internet fraudsters in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.
The fraudsters, according to a statement by the media and publicity unit of the command, were convicted by Justices Ijeoma Ojukwu and Rosemary Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State.
Justice Ojukwu convicted and sentenced: Nwaeke Vitalis Ndubisi, Kingsley Goodnews, Inyang Victor, Ekere-Obong Adams, Usang Enang, Ogudu James, Arinze Nelly, David Dede, Ibeawuchi Okwukwechukwu, Prince Samuel Ukpai and Ekpo Peter.
Justice Oghoghorie convicted and sentenced Joshua Akpabio.
ll the convicts were prosecuted on two-count charges bordering on criminal impersonation on social media platforms with intent to defraud unsuspecting members of the society, barring Akpabio, Ukpai and Peter, who faced a one-count charge, respectively.
The charge against Ndubuisi reads: “That you, Nwaeke Vitamin Ndubuisi, ‘m’ sometime in August 2023, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did fraudulently present yourself as Cytal Barton to unsuspecting victims on the social media platform, Facebook, with intent to gain advantage for yourself, and did take possession of the sum of N150,000, knowing that the money forms part of the proceed of an unlawful act to wit; impersonation, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.”
They all pleaded guilty to their charges when it was read to them, following which prosecution counsel, Joshua Abolarin and Mahmud Khamis, prayed the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly, while defendants’ counsel, Tom Udeme, Francis Ezike, Innocent Eze, and Henry Iyipiyayo prayed the courts for leniency on the ground that the defendants were first time offenders.
After listening to the arguments of both the prosecution and defence counsels, Justice Ojukwu handed Ndubisi, Goodnews, Victor, Adams, Enang, James, Nelly, Dede and Okwukwechukwu a six months jail term on each of their two-count charges which is to run concurrently, and six months jail term to Peter and Ukpai on their one-count charge, while Akpabio bagged a year in jail, with the option to pay N1 million fine.
