Justice A.A Bello of the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kaduna, today, May 30, 2023 convicted and sentenced the duo of Tachio Abba and Wisdom Omofunhe Billy to two years imprisonment on separate one count charges bordering on possession of scam documents and impersonation.

The convicts were arrested by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, around Trikania, Kaduna state, based on intelligence on their alleged internet fraud-related activities.

Upon investigation, Tachio was found to have an Instagram account with the name Johnson Young where he claimed to be a United States military personnel and used the false identity to defraud unsuspecting white ladies with promises of romantic relationships. He operated Facebook accounts with the name Jane Smith, Rose Mark and Hannah Jooshua which he uses to defraud unsuspecting white men.

In the case of Wisdom, he impersonated an American actor, Jason Momoa on Instagram to chat unsuspecting persons and received gift cards valued at $200 from victims.

The charge against Tachio reads: “that you, Tachio Abba (aka Jane Smith), (M), between January and February, 2023 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, cheated one Terry Reed of the total sum of $50.00(Fifty US Dollars) only when you pretended to be Jane Smith; a white woman from Worthington, Ohio, USA on 'facebook' (an online social media application) in a romantic relationship with him, which you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law of 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law”.

For Wisdom, his one count charge reads: “that you, Wisdom Omofunhe Billy (aka Jason Momoa) sometime in 2021, in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, impersonated one Jason Momoa, an actor of the United State of America on Instagram, obtained gift cards worth the sum of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) from unsuspecting white women for a romantic relationship, and you thereby committed cheating by impersonation, an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Law, 2017 of Kaduna State and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law”.

The defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges.

Justice Bello, convicted and sentenced Tachio to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000.00(One Hundred Thousand Naira), He is to also forfeit an Apple iPhone 11 and the sum of $50.00(Fifty United States Dollars) to the Federal Government of Nigeria through EFCC.

Wisdom bagged two years imprisonment with an option of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. He was also ordered to forfeit an iPhone 12 Pro Max to the Federal government of Nigeria.

The convict has already restituted the sum of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) being the proceeds of crime.

Media & Publicity

30/05/2023