Justice Rosemary Dugbo-Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State on Monday, November 18, 2024 convicted and sentenced five internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
The convicts: Michael Aregbesola (a.k.a Amin Deera), Adeleke Toba Richard(Alias Jason Avtandil), Mkpoikanke Emmanuel Udoh (a.k.a Tom Jones), Gideon Mishell Effiong (a.k.a Gianluca Jinoble) and Momodu John Modupe (a.k.a George Woods), were charged to court by the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, for criminal impersonation, fraudulent messaging and money laundering.
While Effiong and Richard each pleaded guilty to the two -count charges preferred against them, Aregbesola, Udoh and Modupe also pleaded guilty to the one- count charge levelled against them by the Commission.
In view of their guilty pleas, Prosecution Counsel Kharmis Mahmud urged the court to convict the defendants and sentence them accordingly.
While reviewing facts of the case, Mahmud tendered the following exhibits which the court admitted in evidence: The defendants’ statements and fraudulent documents printed from their various gadgets. The defence team: Francis Ezeike, Samson Awuje and Emmanuel Sabe did not oppose the prosecution.
Justice Dugbo-Oghoghorie then convicted the defendants and sentenced them as follows: Effiong bagged four years jail term on each of the two counts, with an option of fine of €2, 500 and restitution of €500 to his victim; Richard got seven years on each count with the option to pay a fine of $2, 500 and restitution of $500 to his victim. The jail terms are to run concurrently.
Also, the court convicted and sentenced
Aregbesola and Udoh to seven years jail term each or pay the sum of N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira) each as option of fine, Modupe bagged four years jail term with a fine option of N5million.
The convicts commenced their journey to the Correctional centre when investigators of the Uyo Directorate of the Commission investigated them for their suspicious online presence and lifestyle. They were eventually charged to court and convicted.
Court Jails Internet Fraudster in Kaduna
Justice R.M Aikawa of Federal High Court, sitting in Kaduna has convicted and sentenced one Tisan Shedrack Jerry (a.k.a. Alice Dante) for fraud.
He was prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a one-ount charge bordering on impersonation and cybercrime.
He pleaded “guilty” when the charge was read to him, prompting the prosecution counsel, F.A.I Asemebo to urge the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.
Justice Aikawa afterwards convicted and sentenced him to two years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N700,000.00 (Seven Hundred Thousand Naira). In addition to his prison term, he forfeited the sum of $90, being the proceeds of his crime and an Infinix Note 7 Lite phone with IMEI No:353699987654326, being the tool of his crime to the federal government.
Jerry was arrested alongside other members of his internet fraud syndicate in an intelligence-driven raid on their hideout in Kaduna sometime this year. Exhibits traced to him proved that he was in the business of defrauding his unsuspecting victims through assumed identities on the internet.
