The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, has secured the conviction and sentencing of four Filipinos and seven Nigerians for offences bordering on cyberterrorism and internet fraud.
Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, delivered the ruling on Friday, June 13, following their arraignment by the EFCC.
The convicted Filipinos are Reyna Mae Eriba, Chynna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina. Their Nigerian accomplices include Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan, and Oghomienor Jotham.
They were prosecuted on separate charges under various provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
One of the charges against Samonte stated that she willfully caused access to computer systems with the intent to destabilize Nigeria’s economic and social structure by employing Nigerian youths for identity theft and impersonation for financial gain, an offence that falls under cyberterrorism.
Ezechukwu was charged for retaining N12.75 million in a personal bank account, funds traced to proceeds from an online dating scam, contrary to the Money Laundering Act.
All defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when read to them in court.
Prosecuting counsel Anita Imo, S.I. Suleiman, H.U. Kofarnaisa, and B.M. Isah subsequently prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants and order the forfeiture of all recovered items to the Federal Government.
Justice Bogoro sentenced Eriba, Samonte, Fabian, and Medina to one year imprisonment each or an option of N1 million fine.
He also ordered the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service to deport them to the Philippines within seven days of completing their sentences.
Among the Nigerians, Gbenga Shittu Solomon received a one-year jail term or a fine of N700,000.
The remaining convicts, Jotham, Olamilekan, Ezechukwu, David, Ifeanyi, and Oluchukwu, were each sentenced to one year in prison or a fine of N500,000.
The court further ordered that all items recovered from the convicts, including vehicles, mobile devices, and funds, be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
