Court Jails 12 Internet Fraudsters in Makurdi
Justices R.J. Egbe, N.I Afolabi and Emeka Nwite, M.S Abubarkar, M.S.Abubakar, A. Onoja, Justice Ajiya Ngajuwa and Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Lafia and Abuja have convicted and sentenced 12 (Twelve) internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
The convicts were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges upon their arraignment by the Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The convicts are: Bem Peter, Onminyi Joseph Ocheje, Nelson Ogbu Oche, Gabriel Sughter, Samuel Lubem, Terver Terfa James, Dominic Chiemere Bonaventure, Anaambe Michael, Okanche Samuel, Ebu Emmanuel Anoyedu, Omotunde Oluwamayowa and Pkutu Christopher.
The charge against Ocheje reads: “That you, Onminyi Joseph Ocheje “M” sometime between January and December, 2021 in Makurdi, Benue State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud sent an electronic message to UBA and First City Monument Bank Plc causing the Bank to initiate a reversals from Accelerex Network Limited (a payment gateway/platform) that materially misrepresented the facts that the transaction of N3,350,000.00 (Three Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) only failed which Accelerex Network Ltd relied upon and suffered loss by making a charge back and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2015.”
They all pleaded guilty to their charges when they were read to them, prompting Prosecution counsel, A.S Idris, M. Yusuf and A. Gazali to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
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Justice Egbe convicted and sentenced Peter to one year imprisonment with an option of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) as fine, he forfeited one Techno Spark G 2021 phone to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Justice Afolabi convicted Ocheje and Oche.
Ocheje was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) only as fine, while Oche bagged one year imprisonment with an option of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) only as fine.
Justice Abubakar convicted and sentenced Sughter to one year imprisonment with an option of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, Lubem one year imprisonment with an option of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, James two years imprisonment with an option of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. Others are Bonaventure one year imprisonment with an option of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, Michael one year imprisonment with an option of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine and Samuel one year imprisonment with an option of with an option of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine.
Justice Onoja convicted and sentenced Anojedu to one year imprisonment with an option of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine and Justice Ngajuwa convicted and sentenced Oluwamayowa to three years imprisonment with an option of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira fine.
Also, Justice Nwite convicted and sentenced Christopher to one year imprisonment without an option of fine.
All the convicts bagged their imprisonment when they were arrested by operatives of the Benue Zonal Command of the EFCC for internet-related offences. They were charged to court and convicted.
