Three internet kingpins: Jerry Thankgod, Gospel James and Matthew Kelvin Fejiro , were on Wednesday and Thursday October 12 and 13, 2022 convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment.
They were jailed by Justice S. D. Pam of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
They were arraigned by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a separate one-count charge of impersonation.
The charge against Uduak reads: “That you Gospel Uduak James on or about 6th August, 2022 at , Doxa Street, Odili Road, Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court while on Hangout chats with one Bobbie fraudulently impersonated Chase Rice, an American Singer and song writer with intent to unlawfully gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) b (i) of the Cybercrimes ( Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (iv) of the same Act".
All the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them individually.
In view of their guilty pleas, prosecution counsel, F. O. Amama, A. Chukwueggu and N.A Dodo prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
However, counsel to the defendants, P. A. Abudu, F. A. Bigha and D. C. Ebiriukwu prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, stressing that they are first- time offenders with no previous criminal records.
Justice Pam convicted and sentenced Thankgod and James to one year imprisonment each with an option of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200, 000) as fine. The judge also convicted and sentenced Fejiro to two years imprisonment with an option of Three Hundred Thousand Naira (N300, 000.00) as fine. All the convicts forfeited their phones to the government.
The convicts made their ways into the Correctional Centres by impersonating foreigners and defrauding their victims, through phony claims and fraudulent schemes. They assumed different names of foreigners to lend weight to their claims.
Media & Publicity
18 October, 2022