Twenty-five internet fraudsters have been convicted and sentenced to varying jail terms by Justices W.I. Aziegbemhin and A.N. Erhabor of the Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City.
The convicts were prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on separate one-count charges, which include obtaining by false pretence, advance fee fraud, retention of proceeds of crime, and possession of fraudulent documents.
The convicted individuals are as follows: Tremendous Irosaike Eraze, Etinosa Newman, Benjamin Evbayemwenru, Otomobor Prosper, Osalumhewse Hope, Omigiri Shedrack Sabinus, Imasekhomwan Favour Lucky, Karoighen Enamegoulor, Onuka Patrick, Osarenmen Iyobosa, Justice Osakpolor Amadin, Iboi Joshua, Edward Peter Osagie, Sunday Wisdom, Ozili Jude, Idehen Kelvin, Destiny Melekwelu, Eyoto Favour, Blessed Awosei Odekhilan, Melekwelu Daniel Chinedu, Sunday Olawole, Abulime Promise, Salisu Lucky Nurudeen, Idehen Lucky, and Ohikhozai Zion.
All the convicts pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.
This prompted the prosecution counsel, F.A Jirbo, I.M Elodi, I.K Agwai, K.Y Bello, A. Al-Amin Ibrahim, Salihu Ahmed, Bala Rabah, and Faisal Ibrahim, to urge the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
In response, the defense counsel pleaded for leniency, noting that the convicts had shown remorse for their actions.
Justice Erhabor sentenced Eraze, Newman, Evbayemwenru, Prosper, Hope, Sabinus, Lucky, Enamegoulor, Patrick, Iyobosa, Wisdom, Jude, Kelvin, Melekwelu, Favour, Odekhilan, Chinedu, Olawole, Promise, Lucky, and Zion to two years imprisonment each or a fine of N200,000.
Salisu Lucky Nurudeen was sentenced to one week of community service around the court premises.
Justice Aziegbemhin, on his part, sentenced Justice Osakpolor Amadin to three years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000, while Iboi Joshua and Edward Peter Osagie received two years imprisonment each or a fine of N400,000.
In addition to their sentences, all convicts were ordered to forfeit their mobile phones, computers, and funds in their respective bank accounts to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
They also signed undertakings to exhibit good behaviour moving forward.
The convicts’ journey to correctional facilities began with their arrest by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, following credible intelligence linking them to fraudulent internet activities.
In another development, men of EFCC, apprehended a total of 98 suspected internet fraudsters in coordinated raids across Enugu and Ilorin.
The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency arrested 51 suspects, comprising 48 males and three females, during an operation at the Premier Layout area of the state capital.
Recovered items include 18 luxury cars, several laptop computers, and high-end mobile phones, all believed to be proceeds of internet fraud.
In a separate operation, the Ilorin Zonal Directorate apprehended 47 suspects across multiple locations, including Awolowo Road, Tanke, Harmony Estate, Ganmo, and Amoyo in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The EFCC operatives seized 10 luxury cars, 74 high-grade mobile phones, 18 laptops, and a motorcycle during the raid.
According to the EFCC, the simultaneous arrests were based on credible intelligence linking the suspects to internet-related fraudulent activities.
The agency confirmed that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to clamping down on cybercrime and urged members of the public to provide useful information to aid its operations.
