Court jails two Internet fraudsters in Lagos

Glory Ebomah

The Lagos Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on January 28, 2022, secured the conviction and sentencing of two internet fraudsters, Sunday Gbenga and Ayomikun Jide Maxwell, for internet fraud before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.

Gbenga, who pleaded “guilty” to the amended one-count charge bordering on the use of fraudulent documents to perpetrate internet fraud, was among the suspected internet fraudsters arrested at the Conference Hotel, Abeokuta, Ogun State at a purported Awards Night party on November 28, 2021, following intelligence report obtained by the EFCC.

Upon his arrest, an iPhone 13 mobile phone was recovered from him, and the fraudulent documents contained therein, which he used to perpetrate internet fraud, were printed out.

Maxwell was arrested on August 12, 2021, at the Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos State by operatives of the EFCC, following actionable intelligence received by the Commission about the activities of suspected internet fraudsters around the area.

Upon his arrest, an iPhone 6 was also recovered from him, from which incriminating materials confirming his involvement in internet fraud were printed out.

Specifically, he poses as a white female sex worker who charges $150 per hour and whose services can only be procured after paying 50 per cent of the charges.

However, as soon as he receives the payment, he blocks the person, thereby cutting off any further communication.

He was charged with an amended four-count charge, to which he pleaded “guilty”.

Subsequently, Justice Dada found them guilty as charged and sentenced them to one year in prison.

They were both given an option of N250, 000 as a fine.

In addition, they are all to sign a bond with the EFCC upon their release to be of good behaviour and not to engage in any form of economic and financial crime within and outside the shores of Nigeria.

The items recovered from them were also ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.