The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of three fraudsters in Kano and Kaduna states.
In Kano, a State High Court presided over by Justice Ibrahim Musa Karaye convicted and sentenced Benjamin Okechukwu Udeagwu and Benjamin Amos Olamide to three years imprisonment.
They were jailed after pleading guilty to one- count separate charges bordering on internet fraud upon their arraignment by the Kano Zonal Command of the EFCC.
In view of their guilty pleas, EFCC’s counsels, Abubakar Hassan Elbadawi and Fatima Mustapha prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Counsels for the defendants, M.J Ella and M.E Ogah pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stressing that “the defendants were first- time offenders and have regretted their actions”.
Justice Karaye sentenced Udeagwu to one year imprisonment or an option of fine of N20, 000. Olamide, on the other hand, was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N20,000.
In Kaduna, Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kaduna sentenced Paul Monday (a.k.a Ray Aguilar) to two years imprisonment for internet fraud.
He was jailed after pleading guilty to one- count charge bordering on internet fraud, preferred against him by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Based on his plea, prosecution counsel, E.K Garba prayed the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.
Justice Khobo, thereafter, sentenced Monday to two years imprisonment or an option of fine of N150,000. He also forfeited his iPhone 13 to the government.
Monday was arrested in a sting operation carried out by operatives of the Commission in Kaduna State. Investigations showed that he impersonated a Croatian Hauser Cello and another foreigner Ray Aguilar to defraud his victims of various sums of money.
