The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of 15 internet fraudsters at the Edo State High Court in Benin City.
The hearings, held on May 13 and 14, were presided over by Justices Efe Ikponmwonba and M. Itsueli.
The convicts, identified as Sagay Favour, Efemini Kelvin Mudiaga, Izzi Evans, Okim Ekene, Jakpa Godspower, Lucky Alao SeyiEk, Adams Jarret, Mathew Ese, Oritsegbogwa Joseph, Joshua Lucky Ojabugbe, Emudiaga Akpojaro, Richard Promise, Aboh Daniel Bonfrey, Deniran Emmanuel Edafe, and Orode Ovie, were sentenced after pleading guilty to charges of obtaining by false pretence and possession of fraudulent documents.
The EFCC’s charges outlined that the defendants knowingly possessed documents containing false pretences, violating the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
The prosecution, represented by F. A. Jirbo, I. M Elodi, I.K Agwai, K.Y. Bello, and Ahmed Salihu, urged the court for convictions, while defense counsel requested leniency, citing the defendants’ remorse.
Justice Ikponmwonba sentenced Evans, Favour, Godspower, Ekene, and Seyi to three years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 each.
Mudiaga received a two-year sentence or a fine of N200,000.
On May 14, Justice Itsueli sentenced Joseph, Ojabugbe, Akpojoro, Bright, Aboh, Ovie, and Orede to three years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 each, and Jarret and Ese to two years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000.
The court ordered the forfeiture of N31,900,609 and N4,410,508.28 found in Mudiaga’s accounts, along with a Toyota Venza. Ekene’s Mercedes Benz ML350, GLE450, and C300 were also forfeited.
Additionally, Justice Itsueli ordered four vehicles from Ese and Ojabugbe, including a Mercedes Benz 350, two GLKs, and an ML, to be forfeited.
All convicts were mandated to forfeit their phones, laptops, and bank account balances as instruments and proceeds of crime.
They are required to undertake in writing to exhibit good behaviour henceforth.
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