Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo State High Court, Benin City, on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, convicted and sentenced four internet fraudsters to jail.

They defendants: Nicholas Bamigwojo Agwu, Anamali Azuka, Oseiwe Oifoghe and Nonye Fimber Dugbele were arraigned on separate one count charge of unlawful possession of fraudulent documents by the Benin Zonal Command of the EFCC.

The charge against Agwu reads: “that you, Nicholas Bamigwojo Agwu sometime in June 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession on your iPhone 11 with IMEI Number 356546109602633 documents which you knew or ought to have known contain a false pretense and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of same Act”.

The defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to them.

In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, F.A.Jirbo and I.M. Elodi prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.

Justice Ikponmwonba convicted and sentenced Agwu to three years imprisonment with an option of Two Hundred Thousand Naira fine while Oifoghe bagged one year imprisonment with an option of Two Hundred Thousand Naira fine.

The duo of Dugbele and Azuka bagged two years imprisonment or a fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira and One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira.

The judge ordered that phones recovered during investigation being instruments of crime be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria

Media & Publicity

20 October, 2022