The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction of five internet fraudsters in Abuja.
The convicts were jailed by Justice C.O. Agashieze of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court on a one -count separate charges of obtaining by false pretense.
The convicts are; Desmond Ikpefua, Oyeniji Temitope, Exiobor Raphael, Emmanuel Gabriel and Samuel Owoicho.
The convicts were arrested for internet fraud by operatives of the EFCC. They were subsequently charged to court and prosecuted.
The charge against Gabriel reads, ‘That you Emmanuel Gabriel sometime in 2024 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court cheat by personation when you represented yourself as Melsse Moore, a female celebrity and under that assumed character obtained the sum of $200 from Mark Williams under the pretense that you are in a romantic relationship with her, a fact that you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Law (Laws of the Federation, Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 324 of the same Law.’
Ikpefua’s charge read, “That you Desmond Ikpefua sometime in 2024 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court attempted to commit the offence of cheating by personation when you created a fake Skype App and Gmail profile and pretended to be one Nurhaiza Johnston an Executive Director at Volvo Group which you were not and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 95 and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004.’
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They pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.
Prosecution counsel, M. Shariff prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Agashieze convicted and sentenced Ikpefua and Temitope to six and four months imprisonment respectively with no option of fine.
Rapheal was given a non-custodial sentence to clean the police station in his Orozo axis for two hours every day for six months.
He was also fined N50,000. Gabriel and Owoicho were fined N50,000, while the latter will additionally sweep Maitama Police station for 30 days.
Justice Agashieze also held that all instruments used to perpetrate the crimes should be forfeited to the Federal Government.
