Courts sentence 12 internet fraudsters to various jail terms

Justices R.J. Egbe, N. I Afolabi, Emeka Nwite, M.S. Abubakar, A. Onoja, Ajiya Ngajuwa, and Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Courts in Makurdi, Lafia, and Abuja have sentenced 12 internet fraudsters to different jail terms.

The convictions followed the fraudsters’ guilty pleas to separate one-count charges brought by the Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The Commission disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

The convicts include Bem Peter, Onminyi Joseph Ocheje, Nelson Ogbu Oche, Gabriel Sughter, Samuel Lubem, Terver Terfa James, Dominic Chiemere Bonaventure, Anaambe Michael, Okanche Samuel, Ebu Emmanuel Anoyedu, Omotunde Oluwamayowa, and Pkutu Christopher.

Ocheje’s charge stated: “That you, Onminyi Joseph Ocheje, between January and December 2021 in Makurdi, Benue State, with intent to defraud, sent an electronic message to UBA and First City Monument Bank Plc causing the Bank to initiate reversals from Accelerex Network Limited (a payment gateway/platform) misrepresenting the transaction of N3,350,000.00 (Three Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) as failed, resulting in a chargeback. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2015.”

The judges sentenced the convicts as follows:

Justice Egbe sentenced Bem Peter to one-year imprisonment or a N100,000 fine and to forfeit one Techno Spark G 2021 phone.

Justice Afolabi sentenced Onminyi Joseph Ocheje to two years imprisonment or N500,000 fine and Nelson Ogbu Oche was sentenced to one year imprisonment or N500,000 fine.

Justice Abubakar sentenced Gabriel Sughter to one-year imprisonment or N500,000 fine, Samuel Lubem was sentenced to one-year imprisonment or N100,000 fine, Terver Terfa James was sentenced to two years imprisonment or N500,000 fine, Dominic Chiemere Bonaventure: one-year imprisonment or N100,000 fine, Anaambe Michael: one-year imprisonment or N500,000 fine, Okanche Samuel: one-year imprisonment or N500,000 fine.

Justice Onoja sentenced Ebu Emmanuel Anoyedu to one-year imprisonment or a N100,000 fine.

Justice Ngajuwa sentenced Omotunde Oluwamayowa to three years imprisonment or a N200,000 fine while Justice Nwite sentenced Pkutu Christopher to one year imprisonment without an option of fine.

The EFCC arrested the convicts for internet-related crimes after weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering, leading to their subsequent arraignment and sentencing.