Court convicts eight fraudsters in Benin

Etim Ekpimah

The Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, November 29, 2021, secured the conviction of eight (8) internet fraudsters before Justice F.A Olubanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State for offences bordering on impersonation with intent to defraud.

The convicts are Eleadi Godspower, Okoh Paul, Okoro Marvelous Atiti, Osaro Osasere, Osamwonyi Precious Etinosa, Godstime Imariebe, Ohumumwen Osaaremen and Christopher  Momudu.

Paul, Atiti, Osasere, Etinosa, Imariebe, Mamudu and Osaaremen were prosecuted on a  one-count charge of intent to defraud while  Eleadi Godspower and his company, Eleadi and Sons Energy Ltd were arraigned for fraudulent impersonation.

The charge against  Eleadi Godspower reads: “That you Eleadi Godspower and  Eleadi and Sons  Ltd, sometimes between  February 2018 and October  2019 at Sapele, Delta State,  within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did aid one Ahmef Ohwerhi (now at large) to fraudulently impersonate other persons abroad with intent to obtain the sum of $ 1,463,570 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22(1)(b) (iv) of the same Act”.

The charge against  Etinosa reads: “That you, Osamwonyi Precious Etinosa, sometimes between the year 2019 and 12th September 2021, at Benin City, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, sent an electronic message which materially misrepresented your identity to Yvonne Elsey, an American upon which she relied and suffered financial losses in the sum of N 32, 431.814 and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14 (2) of the Cybercrime  (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015”.

The defendants pleaded “guilty” to the charge preferred against them by the EFCC, prompting the prosecution counsel, Francis Jirbo, to ask the court to convict and sentence the defendants in line with their guilty plea.

Justice Olubanjo, convicted and sentenced Paul, Marvelous,  Osariemen, Momudu, Etinosa and Imariebe to five years imprisonment with an option of One Million Naira fine each.

Eleadi Godspower and his company, Eleadi and Sons Energy Ltd were sentenced to five years imprisonment with an option of One Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N1,500,000) as a fine.

Osasere, however, bagged five years imprisonment with an option of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000) as a fine.

The Judge also ordered that an uncompleted storey building/land within Ugbeyiyi village, Sapele, Delta State;  Commercial Hotel at Igbeku / Adjekimoni Road,  Igbeku, Amukpe, Sapele, Delta State; two Lexus RX 350; Mercedes Benz ML 350;  Two Lexus ES 350,  2014 model; a Range  Rover  Evoque; a red GL Mercedes  Benz; iPhone 11 pro max; four iPhone 12 pro max; iPhone 6 plus; one Techno spark 5 pro; one Apple Wrist  Watch;  and a cash sum of N23,182,212.97 being proceeds of crime recovered from the convicts be forfeited to the Federal  Government.