Edo court jails 11 for Internet fraud
EFCC
Abdullateef Fowewe
Justice W.I. Aziegbemhin of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City, the state capital, has convicted and sentenced 11 internet fraudsters.
The convicts were prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on separate one-count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, advance fee fraud, retention of proceeds of crime and possession of fraudulent documents.
Their conviction and sentence were contained in a statement shared on the anti-graft agency’s official X (formally Twitter) account on Friday.
The convicts according to the statement are, Izomor Samuel Efe, Nosakhare Bright, Emovon Destiny, Vincent Arogbo, Osarentin Morgan Aduwa, Osagiede Destiny Oghosa, Nosakhare Ernest Theophilus, Junior Emmanuel Efe, Osimen Princewill, Obamedo Clinton and David Iyobor.
The charge against Efe reads, “That you Justice Samuel Efe (m) on or about the 8th 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.”
They all pleaded ‘guilty’ to the charges when they were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, F.A Jirbo, I.K Agwai and Salihu Ahmed to ask the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while the defence counsel prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they have become remorseful for their actions.
The statement partly reads, “Justice Aziegbemhin convicted and sentenced Izomor Efe and Bright to two years imprisonment or to pay N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, each. Destiny and Arogbo also bagged two years imprisonment or a fine of N400,000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, each.”
