EFCC secures conviction of three for Internet fraud

Glory Ebomah

The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the conviction of the trio of Philemon Moses Cobons (aka Greg Young), Blessed Zugwai Adamu (aka James Smith) and Adajinewa Anaiah (aka Goddes Lex) before Justice A. A Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court on one count charges each bordering on cybercrime.

The convicts were arrested at different hideouts around the Kaduna metropolis for alleged involvement in cybercrime. The investigation revealed that they assumed different identities to lure unsuspecting persons into phoney social relationships with a view to defrauding them.

The charge against Cobons reads, “That you, Philemon Moses Cobons (aka Greg Young) sometime in July 2023 at Mando axis of Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently Impersonated one Greg Young (a white man) via an Instagram account and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142 (1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017”.

Adajinewa Anaiah is alleged to have “sometime in July 2023 within the judicial division of the High Court with intent to defraud falsely presented yourself as one Goddes Lex, a white American citizen, and in such assumed character cheated one Edison Hair Nunez the sum of $300 Dollars through your Instagram ( a social media platform ) claiming to be in a romantic relationship and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under the same Law”.

The charge against Adama reads, “That you, Blessed Adamu ( aka James Smith), male, sometime in June 2023 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court impersonated one James Smith ( a military personnel ) on Instagram ( an online social media application) and in such assumed character cheated one Crystal Sartain, a citizen of United States of America, of the sum of $200 Dollars ( Two Hundred United States Dollars) when you claimed to be in a romantic relationship with her which you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law”.

They pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them. The prosecuting counsel, E.K Garba and M.U Gadaka prayed the court to convict them accordingly.

Justice Isiaka convicted and sentenced Adamu and Anaiah to 2 years imprisonment while Cobons was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment. The defendants were offered the option of a fine of N 150,000 each. In addition, they are to forfeit all proceeds of the crime to the Federal Government of Nigeria