Justices A.N. Erhabor, W.I. Aziegbemhin, and F.A. Olubanjo have sentenced seven internet fraudsters to various jail terms between December 10 and 12, 2024.
The verdicts were delivered at the Edo State High Court in Benin City and the Federal High Court in Asaba.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed this on its official X handle (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
The convicted fraudsters included Precious Okeleke, Austine Iwuner, Saint Felix, Ododo Mathias, Idahosa Kelvin, Bankole Adaranijo, and Owie Osasenago Stephen. They were charged with obtaining by false pretense, possession of fraudulent documents, and retention of proceeds of crime.
The cases were handled by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.
One of the charges read, “That you, Precious Okeleke (m), on or about the 30th of October, 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did have in your possession documents which you knew or ought to have known contained false pretense, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
All seven defendants pleaded guilty to the charges. The prosecution team, led by F.A. Jirbo, I.M. Elodi, and K.Y. Bello, urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. In defense, the lawyers for the convicts appealed for leniency, arguing that their clients were remorseful.
On Tuesday, December 10, Justice W.I. Aziegbemhin sentenced Precious Okeleke was sentenced to Two years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000, and Justice F.A. Olubanjo sentenced Austine Iwuner was sentenced to Two years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000.
On Wednesday December 11,Justice A.N sentenced Saint Felix and Ododo Mathias were sentenced to three years imprisonment each or a fine of N200,000
On Thursday, December 12, Justice Aziegbemhin sentenced Osasenago was sentenced to three years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 and Erhabor, Idahosa Kelvin and Bankole Adaranijo were sentenced to two years imprisonment each or a fine of N200,000,
In addition to the prison terms, the convicts forfeited their phones, laptops, and the balances in their bank accounts to the Federal Government. They were also required to provide written undertakings to be of good behaviour.
The convicts were arrested through a sting operation carried out by EFCC operatives in the Benin Zonal Directorate. According to the EFCC, the operation followed intelligence reports linking them to fraudulent internet activities.
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