The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, July 4, 2025 secured the
conviction and sentence of 8 Chinese for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud
before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi,
Lagos
The suspects are: Pan Cai Qi, Zeng Xian Tao, Weng Mao
Rong, Wang Xiong Wei aka Xiao Bai, Shi Dong Fu, Wang Shi Long, Liu Ke Fan and
Ting Liao.
They are among the syndicate of 792 alleged
cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19,
2024 in Lagos during a sting operation tagged 'Eagle Flush Operation' conducted
by EFCC operatives.
They were arraigned on separate charges bordering on
cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Pan Cai Qi,
sometime in December 2024 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourabe
Court, willfully caused to be accessed computer system for the purpose of
destabilizing and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and
thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the
Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024]”.
They initially pleaded “not guilty” to the charges
preferred against them. However, during Friday’s sitting, they all changed
their “not guilty plea” to “guilty.”
In view of this, prosecution counsel, M.K
Bashir, prayed the court to convict them accordingly.
Justice Aneke convicted and sentenced all the
defendants to one year imprisonment, with a fine of N1,000,000.00 (One Million
Naira).
The Judge also ordered that upon completion of their
sentences, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS,
should ensure that they are repatriated to their country of origin within seven
days.
Justice Aneke ordered the forfeiture of the items
recovered from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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