The Enugu Zonal Command of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee, EFCC, on Tuesday, secured the conviction and sentencing of 27 web fraudsters earlier than Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal Excessive Court docket sitting in Awka, Anambra State.
The convicts are: Ajaero Chidiebube, Kosisochukwu Knowledge Ugwu, Apeh Samuel, Hyacinth Henry, Ebuka Moses Ugwu, Abugu Emmanuel Ebuka, Ogbu George, Onoja Chekwube, Onu Ogbonna Celestine, Ugwude Harmless Ekene, Solomon Emeka Okechukwu, Kosisochukwu Mamah, Idoko Fidelis Ejiofor, David Ifebuche Moses, Jude Ikechukwu, Kosisochukwu Idoko Martins and Victor Odoh Chinecherem.
Others are; Eze Caleb Somtochukwu, Ekeleme Victor, Osuji Kingsley, Eze Sopuruchukwu Marvin, Osuji Nnaemeka, Ikechi David, Ejiogu Chizoba, Arinze John Ojobo, Eze Daniel Chinecherem and Michael Ojo.
They had been jailed after pleading responsible to one-count separate expenses bordering on fraudulent impersonation and acquiring by false pretence.
The cost towards Okechukwu reads: “That you just, Solomon Emeka Okechukwu someday in 2024, at Enugu, Enugu State throughout the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court docket, fraudulently impersonated Jennifer Alberto from Studying, United Kingdom via your Tecno Camon 20 with IMEI quantity 3551344570732428 through a pretend Fb Social Media Account with the intent to achieve benefit for your self from unsuspecting international nationals and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Part 22 (3) (a) and (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, and many others) Act 2015 and punishable beneath Part 22 (4) of the identical Act”.
In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Michael Ikechukwu Ani reviewed the information of the circumstances and prayed the court docket to convict and sentence them accordingly. Nevertheless, defence counsels, Okeke Bernard and James Nwatarali, prayed for leniency for his or her shoppers.
Justice Dimgba thereafter convicted and sentenced them as follows; Marvin was sentenced to one-year imprisonment with an possibility of nice of N120,000,00 (One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira) and group service, Samuel, Henry, Ugwu, Ebuka, Martins and Chinecherem bagged one-year imprisonment every, with an possibility of nice of N50,000.00( Fifty Thousand Naira) and group service whereas the remaining had been handed 1year imprisonment every, with an possibility of nice of N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) and group service.
Justice Dimgba additionally ordered that cell phones recovered from them be forfeited to the Federal Authorities.
