Court Convicts 3 In Anambra Over Internet Fraud

The Enugu Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of three Internet fraudsters.

According to a statement released by the EFCC, the convicts were first arraigned on September 29, 2023, before Justice Nnadi O. Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State on one-count separate charges bordering on impersonation and attempt to obtain money by false pretenses.

The convicts are Anyanwu Prince Uzoma, Okume Clinton Chukwuemeka and Jude Onyekachi.

The lone-count reads: “That you, Jude Onyekachi, sometime in the year 2023 at Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, fraudulently impersonated one Wilfred Baston from United States by means of your IPhone 11 via fake Google chat account with the intent to gain advantage for yourself from unsuspecting foreign nationals and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(3) (a) & (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(4) of the same Act”.

They all pleaded guilty to their respective charges.

Justice Dimgba thereafter convicted and sentenced them to one year imprisonment each.

The Judge, however, gave them an option of fine of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N150, 000) each, and also ruled that all the recovered items from the convicts be forfeited to the Federal Government.