Sunday, September 21, 2025 - No fewer than 10 internet fraudsters have been sentenced to two years imprisonment or an option of N200,000 fine each.
The convicts were sentenced to the jail terms by Justice
Mary Itsueli of an Edo High Court sitting in Benin City.
They were arraigned on separate one-count charge, bordering
on impersonation, obtaining by false pretence, advance fee fraud, retention of
proceeds of crime and possession of fraudulent documents by the Benin office of
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
The 10 convicts are Okoro Emmanuel, Billwise Dikoru, Enoma
Osasumwen, Samson Festus, Godspower Afolorunikon, Omonle Damien, Sunday
Uanseoje, Sylvester Udu, Ani Chucks and Amilegbe Saviour.
The anti-graft agency in its X-page, formerly Twitter, said
the convicts pleaded guilty to the charges while the prosecuting counsel asked
the court to convict them accordingly.
The prosecution counsel, K. Y. Bello and Isa Agwai had
earlier told the Court that the offences contravene Section 6 and 8 of the
Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and are punishable
under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
The defence counsel, had, however, pleaded with the court to
temper justice with mercy, noting that the accused have shown remorse for their
actions.
In its judgement, the court ordered the convicts to forfeit
their mobile phones and laptop computers, being tools of their crime.
The court also ordered them to forfeit the money found in
their respective bank accounts, being proceeds of their crimes, to the Federal
Government.
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