A Federal High Court in Onitsha, Anambra State, has handed down convictions to.. forty-one individuals involved in internet fraud.
Presided over by Justices S. M Shuaibu and Hauwa Inuwa, the court found the defendants guilty of various charges related to online scams.
The convicted individuals, whose names include Douglas James, Raphael Chikezie Uwakwe, Paul Chidera Kalu, and several others, were arrested and charged by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Their charges ranged from obtaining money by false pretence to possession of fraudulent documents and aiding in the commission of offences.
Upon their arraignment, all forty-one defendants pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them.
In light of their pleas, Michael Ikechukwu Ani, representing the EFCC, urged the court to proceed with convictions and appropriate sentencing.
In a plea for leniency, defence counsels Wisdom Ogbonna, Bernard Okeke, James Nwatarali, and Arinze Anyigo appealed to the court to consider mitigating circumstances and show mercy to their clients, emphasizing their remorse for their actions.
On May 2, 2024, Justice Inuwa convicted and sentenced twenty-seven of the defendants.
The remaining fourteen received their sentences on May 3, 2024.
Those convicted on May 3 include Chiadi, Samuel, Chinecherem, Timothy, Stanley, Bright, Iwu, Lukman, Nweke, Chukwuemeka, Okafor, Stephen, Chiemerie, and Christian.
Each of them was sentenced to one year in prison, with an option to pay a fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira).
Furthermore, the court ordered the convicted individuals to engage in community service as stipulated in Section 462 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
Additionally, items seized from them, such as mobile phones and laptops, will be auctioned through the EFCC, with proceeds deposited into the Treasury Single Account.
The convictions mark a significant legal action against internet fraud in the region, highlighting the commitment of law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime and uphold the rule of law.
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