The Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of three internet fraudsters.
One Ahuakagha Obiajulum Alex was prosecuted before Justice V.C. Gaba of the FCT High Court, Kuje-Abuja on a one-count charge.
The charge reads: “that you, Ahuakagha Obiajulum Alex sometime in 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory committed an offence of cheating when you dishonestly induced one Judith, a citizen of the United States of America to deliver to you the sum of Two Thousand United States Dollars in the guise that you are in a romantic relationship with her, a fact you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 (a) of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 321 of the same Act”.
He pleaded guilty to the charge. Following his guilty plea, Justice Gaba convicted and sentenced Ahuakagha to one year in prison with an option of N200,000. He is also to pay $500 in restitution.
Similarly, Justice A.I. Akobi of the FCT High Court, Gwagwalada, Abuja convicted one Victor Agene after he pleaded guilty to one count of impersonation.
Agene’s charge reads: “that you, Victor Agene sometime in 2023 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did cheat by personation when you presented yourself to be a vendor of exotic pictures and created an Instagram account with the username ‘Juicy Kat’ and benefitted a total sum of $200 (Two Hundred United States Dollars) from one Christian, a United States citizen, a fact you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation (Abuja), 1990 and punishable under Section 324 of the same Act.”
Justice Akobi sentenced Agene to spend six months in prison or pay a fine of N50,000. Justice Akobi also ruled that $200 which represents the proceeds of crime and his iPhone Pro Max be sold and paid to the Federation Account.
Another internet fraudster, Anthony Stanley, pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to cheat by personation when he opened a Facebook account with the name Kelvin Adiole with the intention of defrauding unsuspecting users.
Justice I. Mohammed of the FCT High Court Gwagwalada convicted Anthony and sentenced him to one-year jail term with an option of N300,000 fine.
