A Nigerian Court has sentenced four internet fraudsters to different jail terms in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, southern Nigeria.
A federal High Court judge, Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie convicted and sentenced the fraudsters also known as ‘Yahoo Boys’ to one-year imprisonment each without an option of fine.
The four convicted persons, who included Abdullahi Saidu Momoh, Godwin Boman Emmanuel, Samuel Godfrey Orudu, and Anunobi Kyrian, are between the ages of 20 and 28 years.
Justice Oghoghorie ordered, “Orudu and Anunobi to serve their sentence concurrently, while Anunobi was also mandated to reimburse the Federation Account with $500 (Five Hundred United States Dollars) and Orudu to pay N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira only) to the same account.”
The judge also ordered that all items seized from the convicts, who were jailed for criminal impersonation and obtaining by false pretense, be forfeited to the Nigerian Government.
Before the sentencing, the Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Khamis Mahmud, prayed the court to convict and sentence the fraudsters, while the defense counsels, Innocent Eze, Francis Ezike, and Cyprian Afahanam sued for leniency.
The convicts were arrested on August 29, 2023, by operatives of the Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at Akwa Ima Estate in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, south-south Nigeria for internet-related offenses.
EFCC arraignment
In another development, the EFCC Uyo Command has arraigned Joseph Akadu Asukwo and Emmanuel Ekenedilichukwu Armstrong before Justice Maureen Onyetenu of the Federal High Court, Uyo Akwa Ibom State.
While Asukwo was arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conversion and stealing the sum of N12,993,600.00 (Twelve Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Three Thousand, Six Hundred Naira), Armstrong was arraigned on a four-count charge including fraudulent impersonation, forgery and criminal diversion of the sum of $108,762.05 (One Hundred and Eight Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty-Two United States of American Dollars and Five Cents).
After entering a “not guilty” plea, the defendants were remanded at the Uyo Correctional Centre sequel to the prayer of the Counsel to the EFCC, Farida Bukar for the court to fix a date for trial.
However, defense counsel, Michael Ishadu attempted an oral bail application but was denied as Justice Onyetenu adjourned the case to October 26, 2023, for the hearing of bail applications.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
