Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State has convicted and sentenced 10 internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
The convicts are; Onyekwulu Lawrence Obiajulu, Onyedikachi Favour Eze, Olisa Philemon Olijo, Okafor Shedrack Chidindu, Ogbodo Chisom Ugochukwu, Nweke Godswill Chinemerem, Oseloka Ogo Patrick, Nnaji Pascal Chijioke, Chibueze Obumneme Frank-Gabriel and Ibekwe Jonathan.
They were prosecuted by the Enugu zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate charges, bordering on impersonation, possession of fraudulent documents and money laundering.
One of the charges against Olijo reads: “That you, Olisa Philemon Olijo sometime in 2025, at Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, directly retained the sum of N4,600,000 paid into your account number 5492732757 domiciled with Moniepoint Microfinance Bank which you reasonable ought to know forms part of the proceed of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (1) (2) (b) (d) (6) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act”.
The charge against Patrick reads: “That you, Oseloka Ogo Patrick, “Male” (32years) sometime in 2025 in Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did have in your possession, documents which you knew or ought to have known contained false pretences and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.
They all pleaded “guilty” to their respective charges when they were read to them. In view of their pleas, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Michael Ikechukwu Ani reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered several documents and mobile phones which were admitted in evidence as exhibits. The prosecution thereafter prayed the court to convict and sentenced them accordingly.
However, defence counsel, James Nwatarali, Wisdom Ogbonna and Onyechi Obiechina prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convicts.
Justice Anyadike thereafter convicted them and sentenced them as follows;
Eze, Chidindu, Ugochukwu, Chinemerem, Patrick, Chijioke, Frank-Gabriel and Jonathan were sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, with an option of fine of N150, 000( One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) each. While Olijo bagged 40 months imprisonment with an option of fine of N250, 000( Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), Obiajulu was sentenced to 8 months imprisonment with an option of fine of N100, 000 ( One Hundred Thousand Naira).
The court further made the following orders;
Obiajulu was ordered to restitute the sum of N2 million to the Treasury Single Account of the Federation and to participate in community service for two weeks which shall be supervised by the Deputy Registrar of the court.
Olijo was ordered to restitute the sum of N5, 749,044( Five Million, Seven Hundred and Forty Nine Thousand Naira, Forty Four kobo) to the Treasury Single Account of the Federation. “Failure to make the restitution, he shall serve a second prison term of two years”, the court said.
Chinemerem was ordered to restitute the sum of N700, 000( Seven Hundred Thousand Naira only) to the Treasury Single Account of the Federation. The convict was also ordered to forfeit the sum of N29, 975.33( Twenty Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand Naira, Thirty Three kobo) in his United Bank for Africa’s account number 2137892541, while Jonathan was ordered to restitute the sum of N397, 000 ( Three Hundred and Ninety Seven Thousand Naira) to the Treasury Single Account of the Federation.