Justices Aminu Garba and Aisha A. Ibrahim of the
Federal High Court 1 and 2 sitting in Bauchi , Bauchi State have
convicted and sentenced 17 internet fraudsters to various jail terms, even
as Justice Ahmed Isa of the Adamawa State High Court sitting in Yola
equally jailed another internet fraudster.
The convict's are : Fumi Joshua , Nathan Timothy
Aruku, Femi Johnson Adelowo, Chimieze Alajemba , Jeremiah Pam Samuel, Emmanuel
Shadrach , Ibrahim Yusuf, Shikaan Martin's , Mishack Daniel , Jerry Moses ,
Joseph Yagat Baye, Emmanuel pontiff
Others are: Godiya Simon , Noble Max , Perfect Nuhu
and Agbande A.Bature, Fred Omale and Yasar Usman Hamman.
They were separately arraigned on a
one- count separate charges of fraudulent personation by the Gombe Zonal
Directorate of the Commission between November and December 2024
The charge against Chimieze Alajemba reads:
"That you Chimieze Alajemba sometimes in November 2024 at Bauchi, Bauchi
State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court fraudulently impersonate
one John Miller , an American national by creating and operating fake Facebook
and Gmail account with a profile name " johnmiller366 and
johnmiller264.6431,2@gmail.com and
in process gained to your advantage the gross sum of $700 thereby committed an
offence contrary to Section 22(2) (b) of Cybercrimes ( Prohibition Prevention
etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) (vi) of same Act
All the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective
charges when they were read to them in court, prompting the prosecution
counsel, SM Aliyu, A. Aliyu and JD Tortema to pray the court to convict and
sentence them accordingly. However, counsels to the defendants pleaded with the
court to temper justice with mercy stressing that they have become
remorseful for their actions.
Justice Garba on December 11 , 2024 convicted
and ntenced Pontiff to seven months imprisonment with an option
of N130,000 (One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira) fine and
Omale is to pay n170,000 (One Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira in lieu of
seven months jail term.
On December 10, 2024, the judge convicted and
sentenced Joshua , Bayi and Daniel to seven months imprisonment or a fine of
N170,000 each.
Yusuf , Samuel are to pay a fine of N100,000
each in lieu of seven months jail term and Moses , Shedrach and Martin's
were sentenced to seven months imprisonment with an option of fine of
N130,000 each.
Justice Aisha Ibrahim on December 10, 2024 convicted
and sentenced Aruku , Adelewo, Alajemba and Pam to six months imprisonment or a
fine n250,000( Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) each.
Also , on November 28, 2024 the judge convicted and
sentenced Simon , Max Bature and Nuhu to six months imprisonment with an option
of fine of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) each
The judges ordered the forfeiture of the
convicts’ mobile phones recovered during investigation and being
proceeds of crime to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The convicts' journey to the Correctional Centre began
following their arrest by operatives of the Gombe Zonal directorate
of the Commission based on actionable intelligence regarding their
involvement in computer- related fraud.
In a related development , the Gombe Zonal Directorate
of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has secured the
conviction of one internet fraudster, Yasar Usman Hamman before Justice Ahmed
Isa of the High Court sitting in Yola, Adamawa State .
Hamman was arraigned on December 10, 2024 on a
one- count charge of cheating by personation by Gombe Zonal Directorate .
The charge reads : that you Yasar Usman
Hamman sometimes in 2024 at Sangere area of Modibbo Yola, Adamawa State within
the jurisdiction of this honourable court whilst impersonating
benricothetrader, attempted to cheat by enticing one Morgan and other
unsuspecting foreign national to invest their money in your cryptocurrency
platform with intent to defraud them, an attempt to cheat by
impersonation contrary to Section 59 and punishable under Section 315 of
the Adamawa State Penal Code Law 2018
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge prompting
prosecution counsel, Saad H.Saad to ask the court to convict and sentence
the defendant accordingly. However, counsel to the defendant
pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Isa thereafter convicted and sentenced Hamman
to ten years imprisonment with an option of fine of N200,000 (Two
Hundred Thousand Naira)
The court also ordered that the iPhone X used in the
commission of the offence be forfeited to the Federal Government of
Nigeria
The convict' s journey to Correctional Centre
began sometimes in September 2024 when the Commission received an
intelligence alleging that some syndicate of cyber- related fraudsters between
the ages of 18-30 years residing in Sangere area of Madibbo , Yola , Adamawa
State were defrauding innocent victims. Hamman was thereafter
arrested, prosecuted and convicted.
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