Two Internet fraudsters bag jail terms in Kaduna

Etim Ekpimah

Justice R.M Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Kaduna has convicted and jailed one Olayinka Abdulraheem Saidu( a.k.a Lily Bright) and Adams Shedrack (aka Kellie Hamza) for fraud.

The convicts were prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on one-count separate charges, bordering on impersonation, cybercrime and money laundering.

Saidu’s charge reads: “That you Olayinka Abdulraheem Saidu (a.k.a Lily Bright)(M) sometime in 2022 at Minna, Niger State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, converted the total sum of $100.00 (One Hundred US Dollars)from one Chad Beatty, living in the United States of America, which you reasonably ought to have known that such fund forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (B) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”

That of Shedrack reads: “That you Adams Shedrack, (a.k.a Kellie Hamza), sometime in September 2024 in Minna, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, fraudulently impersonated one Hamza Topchvev (a German citizen) on Facebook, social media platform and fraudulently gained advantage for yourself, the total sum of $200 (Two Hundred USD only) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(B)(ii) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Subsection 22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”

They pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel, K.S Ogunlade to pray to the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Justice Aikawa, afterwards convicted and sentenced, Saidu to five years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N700,000.00 (Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) and convicted and sentenced Shedrack got two years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira).

In addition to their prison terms, they forfeited their communication gadgets, being instruments of their crimes to the federal government.

Both convicts were arrested in Minna, Niger State, following credible intelligence on their fraudulent internet activities.