Six internet fraudsters, Olumide Oluwalogbon, Tony Osarobo Inedegbor, Emaiku Paul Michael, Godfrey Emenike Okoye, Owanikin Damilola, Emaiku Sunday Micheal were on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, convicted and sentenced to prison by Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City.

They were arraigned by the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on separate one count charge of personation, possession of fraudulent documents and obtaining by false pretence.

The charge against Michael reads: "That you, Emaiku Paul Michael (M) on the 6th of day of June, 2022 in Benin, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did knowingly have in your possession documents containing false pretences and misrepresentation 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 8 read together with Section 1(3) of the same Act".

The charge against Damilola reads: "That you, Owanikin Damilola (M) on or about the 2nd day of June, 2022 in Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession on your iPhone 12 with, IMEl No:35311700200997 documents which you knew or ought to have known contain a false pretence 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 the same Act".

Upon arraignment the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges. In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Francis. A. Jirbo, F .O Dibang, K. U. Udus and I. K Agwai, urged the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Justice Ikponmwonba convicted and sentenced the trio of Okoye, Sunday, and Inedegbor to three years imprisonment with an option of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000.00) fine each.

Michael was sentenced to one year imprisonment or a fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000.00) while the duo of Olumide and Damilola were sentenced to two years and five years imprisonment respectively or a fine of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000) each.

The judge ordered the forfeiture of phones belonging to the defendants being instrument of crime and the sum of One Million, Thirty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixty-six Naira, Ninety-eight Kobo (N 1,030,966.98) found in the Zenith Bank of Olumide to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Media & Publicity

30 November, 2022