Glory Ebomah
The Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, secured the conviction and sentencing of one Abo Soonen Stephen before Justice Abdul Dogo of the Federal High Court, sitting in Makurdi, Benue State for fraudulently re-directing electronic funds transfer instruction to defraud his victim of N1,402,000.00.
The convict was sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty an amended charge brought against him by the EFCC.
The count reads: “That you, Abo Soonen Stephen ‘m’ sometime in April, 2021, in Makurdi, Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently re-direct electronic funds transfer instruction from Cosmic Intelligent Labs Nigeria Limited bank account into your GTB account No. 0554512665 and did obtain the sum of N1, 402,000.00 (One Million Four Hundred and Two Thousand Naira) only by the use of electronic device and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 36(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015.”
Upon his plea, the prosecution counsel, M. Yusuf reviewed the facts of the case and urged the court to convict and sentence him as charged.
Justice Dogo, convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment.
The convict was, however, given an option of N500 000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine.