Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court Enugu has sentenced seven internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
Among them is one Alex Chibundu who was sentenced to a month imprisonment on one count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence. Chibundu, alias Bentley Diego in September 2019 allegedly attempted to defraud unsuspecting persons with the account name “Bentley Diego” on Facebook.
The charge against him reads,” That you Alex Chibundu in September, 2019 in Enugu within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, fraudulently presented yourself as Bently Diego, and using Facebook account with intent to obtain money from unsuspecting victims on the internet and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 22(3)(b) and punishable under sections 22(4) of the Cybercrimes( Prohibition Prevention, etc ) Act, 2015. The defendant pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him. Consequently, his counsel, A C Agu pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as his client has become repentant and promised never to return to crime.
The judge, having reviewed the facts of the case, convicted and sentenced the defendant to one month imprisonment starting from October 15, 2019 when he was arrested. He is also to forfeit a Samsung phone and the sum of $18 USD recovered from him. Also delivering judgment on a separate charge, Justice Buba convicted and sentenced one Ezirim Onyekachi to three months in prison on one count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence.
The charge reads,” that you, Ezirim Onyekachi sometime in September, 2019 at Enugu, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court fraudulently impersonated one Daniel Walter and sales manager of Samsung, with the intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(3)(a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition , Prevention etc ) Act , 2015 and punishable under the same Act”.
Onyekachi pleaded “guilty” when the charge was read to him. The sentence is effective from October 24, 2019 when he was arrested. Similarly, one Ugwuoke Victor Onyekachi who presented himself as Sofia Aurello, a Brazilian, with the email address: arnolollvar77@gmail.com, was also sentenced to two months imprisonment effective from September 26, 2019.
Also, Mark Henry Aniazoka was convicted on one count charge bordering on impersonation and obtaining by false pretences. Aniazoka presented himself as Benneth Nathan and fraudulently obtained the sum of $1000(One thousand dollars) from one Lina John. He pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against him and was convicted and sentenced to 2 months imprisonment. He is also to return the sum of $1000 to the victim Others convicted by Justice Buba are Chigozie Anieke ,Ikechukwu Alexander andAkabuike Belolisa. The trio were convicted on separate one count of personation and fraud. They were sentenced to two months imprisonment each.
The charge against Anieke reads,”that you Chigozie Anieke (aka Henry Desmond) in September,2019 in Enugu within the jurisdiction of this honourable court fraudulently presented yourself as Henry Desmond , using your email account chigozco04@gmail.com with intent to obtain money from unsuspecting victims on the internet and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 22(3)(b) and punishable under Section 22(4) of the cybercrimes (prohibition,POrecention0 etc, Act,2015.
The charge against Alexander reads ,”That sometime in 2019 at Enugu within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, you intentionally made use of a Chevron Limited document dated September 27, 2019 titled,” contract award certificate “ without authority, for the purpose of interfering with its use by Chevron Limited and you thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 25(1) of the Cybercrime(Prohibition, Prevention etc. ) Act,2015”.
Belolisa was arrested on October 18, 2019 for impersonating one Cameron Hodgson and obtaining the sum of $2,400 USD from his victim. He was ordered to forfeit the sum of $2400 to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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