The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has secured the conviction and sentence of 15 internet fraudsters before Justice A. N. Erhabor of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City.
The convicts are: Nosa Gift, Igbinosa Eghosa, Nosazee Nosakhare, Imumonlen Jude, Promise Ogheneghere, Osadiaye Osasenaga Perfect, Ugiagbe Miracle, David Julius, Nosakhare Godswill and Ajayi Precious.
Others are Idowu Olumayokun Omotoyo, Amina Kabiru, Martins Onos Iboyirode, Benson Amengbeivie Blessing and Alabi Etinosa.
They were prosecuted on separate one-count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime, impersonation and possession of fraudulent documents.
The charge against Gift reads: “That you Gift (m) on or about the 30th of September, 2024 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did have in your possession, documents which you knew or ought to have known contained false pretence, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
They all pleaded “guilty” to their charges when they were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, I.M Elodi, A.A Ibrahim Faisal, A.S. Bala- Ribah and Ahmed Salihu to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while the defence counsel prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they have become remorseful for their actions.
Justice Erhabor convicted and sentenced Omotoyo, Kabiru, Iboyirode, Blessing, Etinosa, Gift, Eghosa, Nosakhare, Jude, Ogheneghere, Perfect, Julius, Godswill and Precious to two years imprisonment respectively or to pay a fine of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) each, while Miracle bagged three years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira).
All the convicts forfeited their phones, laptops, and money traced to their bank accounts to the federal government and further undertook in writing to be of good behaviour going forward.