Twenty five internet fraudsters were on Wednesday and Thursday 21, March, 2024 convicted and sentenced to various jail terms by Justices Efe Ikponmwonba and M. Ituseli of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City.
The convicts are Joshua Osarumwense, Oziegbe Courage, Michael Osawowamen Enofe, Precious Ezomo, Favour Ezomon, Adetokunbor Oghamomwan, Amaize Victor Ohimah, Destiny Okpala, Emmanuel Benjamin, Williams Chinedu Onyeji, Michael Ugochukwu Davidson, Favour Victor, Aigbadon Nathaniel, Owas Palmer and Kelvin Aghator.
Others are Samuel Endurance, Emmanuel Ogiehor, Oseni Usman, Success Bashorun, Hassan Usman, Omoruyi Stanley, Omoruyi Osasu, Festus David Ofuomadega, Omokaro Junior Aisosa and Okolo Oghenenyerhovwo.
They were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges bordering on possession of fraudulent documents upon arraignment by the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The charge against Favour Ezomo reads: “that you Favour Ezomo (m) on or about 14th March, 2024 in Benin City, Edo State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did have in your possession documents which you knew or ought to have known contain a false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.2006 and punishable under section 1(3)of same Act”.
All the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, F. Jirbo. I.K Agwai, A. A. Ibrahim and Salihu Ahmed to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. However, counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, claiming they have become remorseful for their actions.
The trio of Oziegbe, Stanley and Davidson bagged three years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) each while the duo of Ofuomadega and Oghenenyerhovwo got two years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 (Two hundred Thousand Naira) each. The 20 others were sentenced to three years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) each.
The judges ordered that the convicts forfeit their phones, balances in their various bank accounts being instruments and proceeds of crime and a Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 recovered from Ezomo to the Federal Government of Nigeria. All the convicts are to undertake in writing to be of good behaviour afterwards.
The convicts’ road to the Correctional Centre began following their arrest by operatives of the Benin Zonal Command of the Commission based on actionable intelligence regarding their involvement in computer related fraud.
