Glory Ebomah
Justices S. D. Pam and P. I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have convicted and sentenced two internet fraudsters, Asaolu Dare Sunday and Jason Ovesuor to various jail terms for Impersonation, contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (ii) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.
They were jailed on Thursday, February 2, 2023, after pleading “guilty” to a separate one count preferred against them by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The charge against Sunday reads: “That you, Asaolu Dare Sunday (aka Clara Marli) Sometime in 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one Clara Mali, an American woman on your Instagram account with the intent to obtain and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (ii) of the Cyber Crime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, and punishable under section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the Act”.
The charge against Ovesuor reads: “That you, Jason Ovesuor Sometime in 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one Lexx Andy, an American Citizen in your Facebook account and WhatsApp with a foreign number +1(587)605-5091 with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cyber Crime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act,2015, and punishable under section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the same Act”
They pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them by the prosecution.
In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel K. W. Chukwuma-Eneh and C. M. Asuzu prayed to the courts to convict and sentence the defendants as charged.
Justice Pam was convicted and sentenced Sunday to one-year imprisonment with One Hundred Thousand Naira as an option for a fine.
In the same vein, Justice Ajoku convicted and sentenced Ovesuor to three years in prison with Two Hundred Thousand Naira as an option for a fine.
The Judges also ordered that one iPhone 7 and Infinix S4 phone belonging to the convicts be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It shall be sold via public auction by the EFCC and the proceeds deposited into the EFCC Recovery Account domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.