From Sola Ojo, Abuja
Justices A.N. Erhabor and W.I. Aziegbemhin of Edo State High Courts, sitting in Benin City, have convicted and sentenced 29 internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
The convicts are: Edeyibo Rukewe Hope, Igbafe David, Emakhu Bonfrey, Genesis Ndujifor, Okolosie Godstime, Chukwu David, Ebuka Emmanuel, Akhere Akahomhen, Odiniru Emeka Vet, Obiora Mike Kelvin, Stephen Eghosa, Osagioduwa Samuel Aivihenyor, Lucky Ekhator, Ekechukwu Chima Stanley, Lucky Moses, David Odiniru, Christopher Alex, Orovirie Sunny, Abraham Ifeanyi, Aisosa Vincent, Agbede Shola Harrison, Endurance Ebalukpe, Igbiniken Osarvmwense, Okonoboh Senator Odiegie, Joseph Imhangbegbe, Orion Aigbona, Godstime Adebor, Ambrose Otsemeuno, and Mattew Obayuywana.
Head of Media and Publicity, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Dele Oyewale, said they were prosecuted on separate one-count charges, bordering on obtaining by false pretence, advance fee fraud, retention of proceeds of crime, and possession of fraudulent documents.
According to him, the charge against Hope reads: “That you, Edeyibo Rukewe Hope (m), on or about the 27th of February, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did have in your possession documents which you knew or ought to have known contained false pretence, thereby committed 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.”
He added that all the defendants pleaded “guilty” to their charges when they were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, F.A. Jirbo, K.Y. Bello, Isa K. Agwai, Faisal Ibrahim, Al-Amin Ibrahim Abdul, Bala-Ribah, and Salihu Ahmed, to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they have become remorseful for their actions.
“Justice Erhabor convicted and sentenced Hope, David, Bonfrey, David, Emmanuel, Akahomhen, Sunny, Ifeanyi, Vincent, Otsemeuno, Ebalukpe, Harrison, Osarvmwense, Odiegie, Imhangbegbe, Aigbona, Adebor, and Obayuywana to two years’ imprisonment each or to pay a N200,000 fine respectively.
“Justice Aziegbemhin convicted and sentenced Ndujifor and Godstime to two years’ imprisonment each or to pay a N200,000 fine respectively. The judge slammed Kelvin, Eghosa, Aivihenyor, Ekhator, Stanley, Moses, Osarvmwense, Vet, and Alex with two years’ imprisonment each or to pay a N400,000 fine respectively.
“The judge ordered the forfeiture of a red colour Mercedes Benz C300 with registration number BEN258CM, recovered from Odiniru Emeka Vet, being proceeds of crime, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“In addition to their sentences, all the convicts forfeited all items recovered from them to the Federal Government, including phones, computers, money, and cars, and undertook in writing to be of good behaviour going forward.
“The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began with their arrest in a sting operation by operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC following credible intelligence that linked them to fraudulent internet activities,” Oyewale explained.