Court jails businessman, Internet fraudster in Benin City

Glory Ebomah

The Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, March 10, 2022, secured the conviction of an internet fraudster and a businessman before Justice S.M.Shuaibu of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State.

The convicts are Ohiosumuen Amos and Peter Atai Eduk.

They were arraigned on one count charge of impersonation and presentation of dud cheque. Amos was said to have misrepresented his identity in order to defraud unsuspecting foreign nationals while Eduk, in December 2022 fraudulently presented a dud cheque to Edegbe Ugbogbo Nigeria Ltd.

The charge against Amos reads: “That you Ohiosumuen Amos  (aka  Anabel Amos) sometime in May 2021 in Benin City, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently impersonate the identity of one Anabel Amos, a white woman with intent to obtain money from one Mass Thomas, a white man through a Gmail account anabelanabeamos@gmail.com created by you and thereby committed an offence contrary the Section 22(2)(ii) of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(IV) of the same Act”.

The charge against Eduk reads: “That you Peter Antai Eduk (doing business in the name and style of Antai Mart Ventures) on or about the 31st December 2020 in Benin, Edo State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court did fraudulently presented a Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc Cheque No: 00000058 to Edegbe Ugbogbo Nigeria Ltd in the sum of Two Million, Six Hundred and Sixty Four Thousand  Seven Hundred and Ninety Naira ( N2,664,790.00) knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section  1(2) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 of the revised edition ( Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under Section 1 (2)(C) of the same Act”.

They both pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against them by the EFCC.

In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, A.A.Ozigbu prayed the court to convict and sentence them.

Justice Shuaibu convicted and sentenced Amos to three years imprisonment with an option of N300,000 fine while Eduk is to serve five years imprisonment or pay a fine of N300,000.

Justice Shuaibu added that items recovered from Amos during the investigation be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.