Court jails 16 Internet fraudsters in Enugu

Bimbo Babatunde

The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured 16 internet fraud convictions. The fraudsters were convicted in separate judgments on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, and Wednesday, October 27, 2021, by Justices F.O G Ogunbanjo and I.M Buba of the Federal High Court, Enugu.

Eleven of the fraudsters were convicted and sentenced to various jail terms by Justice Buba. Nine of them: Franklin Chidera Owo,Chukwudi Nzube,Nwosu Victor Kosisochukwu, Onyebuchi Ebuka. Ozuma Chukwuemeka Henry, Christopher Francis and Eze Godwin Chibundu,Ikwunze Armstrong and Paschal Benjamin bagged two years imprisonment with an option of one Million Naira fine each.

Two others, Obodoechina Caleb and Prince Chukuebuka Mmirikwe were sentenced to one-year imprisonment with an option of a one million naira fine.

In addition to the jail terms, one of the convicts Eze Godwin Chibundu is to forfeit his cars as well as make restitution to his victim, Emily Alvarado, to the tune of $5,000 (Five Thousand US Dollars).

The charge preferred against Eze reads, “That you, EZE GODWIN, sometime in July 2021 in Enugu within the Jurisdiction of the  Federal High Court of Nigeria, fraudulently impersonated one Brian Rose, a foreign national, and gained an advantage for yourself the sum of $5,000 from one Emily Alvarado on the pretence of trading in cryptocurrency and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(i)(ii)(iii) and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc )Act 2015.

The remaining five fraudsters, Lucky Uche Ben-Ihedi, Stanley Ifeanyi Nwankwo, Ebere Malachy, Ben- Ihedi Chiemela Victor and Chibueze Michael were convicted and sentenced to a term of one-year imprisonment with an option of One Million Naira fine by Justice Ogunbanjo, having pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of impersonation and fraud brought against them by the EFCC.

The charge against Stanley Ifeanyi Nwankwo reads, “that you Stanley Ifeanyi Nwankwo, sometime in July 2021, at Enugu, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, fraudulently impersonated one Zooley Tigers, a trader in Cryptocurrency and owner of Bitminershub.com by means of your iPhone X via a fake Facebook account with the intent to gain advantage for yourself from one Ksh and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(3)(a) &(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc)Act,2015 and punishable under Section 22(4) of the same Act”.