The Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the
convictions and sentence of eight internet fraudsters.
The convicts are Goshen Favour Habila, Isaac Matthew
Eze, Patrick Oruma, Chineme Kelvin Ifeatu, Richard Olumodeji, Okoye Patrick,
Hussaini Muhammad Hussaini and Elijah Tochia.
They were arraigned before Justices M.A Sambo , Aliu
Bin Idris, Shafa 'u .L. Yusuf and H.H. Kereng of the Bauchi and Gombe
State High Courts respectively between May 19 and 21, 2025.
Habila and Ifeatu were arraigned on two -count charges
of fraudulent conversion while others were arraigned on one- count charge
bordering on impersonation and intent to defraud.
One of the charges against Goshe Favour
Habila reads: That you, Goshe Favour Habila between January 2024 and
March 2025 at Bauchi, Bauchi State within the jurisdiction of this honorable
court, fraudulently obtained the sum of Two thousand, Thirty Seven United
States of America Dollars( $2,037) and One hundred Eighty Euro(€180) from one
James Mauray and Justha a foreign national and thereby committed an offense
contrary to Section 321 of the penal code law and punishable under Section 322
of the same law.
Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded guilty
to their respective charges , prompting the prosecution
counsel, A.M Labaran, S.E Okemini, and M.O Tijani to pray the court
to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
However, counsel to the defendants pleaded with
the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Sambo thereafter convicted and
sentenced Ifeatu to thirty months imprisonment with an option of fine of
N350,000( Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) on count one
and six months imprisonment or a fine of N300,000 (Three Hundred
Thousand Naira) on count two respectively . Oruma bagged
three years imprisonment or fine of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand
Naira) .
Justice Idris convicted and sentenced Habila to
two years imprisonment or a fine of N250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty
Thousand Naira) on count one and six months imprisonment
without an option of fine on count two. Eze bagged two years
imprisonment or fine of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Naira)
Justice Yusuf convicted and sentenced Patrick to
four months imprisonment with an option of N1000,000 (One Hundred
Thousand Naira )as fine .
Hussaini baged three months imprisonment or fine of
N100,000 and Tochia is to pay a fine of N100,000 in lieu of a jail
term.
Justice Kereng convicted and sentenced Olumodeji
to eight months imprisonment or a fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira)
The Justices ruled that the convicts
restitute the victims of crime and forfeit one Camry car : one Dell laptop and
mobile phones being proceeds and instruments of crime to the Federal Government
of Nigeria
The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre
began when they were arrested by operatives of the Gombe Zonal
Directorate of the EFCC for internet fraud. They were charged to court
and convicted.
In another development, the Gombe Zonal Directorate of
EFCC has arraigned one Abubakar Abdullahi before Justice Abdulhamid
Mohammed of the Gombe State High Court sitting in Gombe State
on one-count charge of fraudulently converting the sum of
N6,000,000( Six Million Naira ) to personal use.
The charge against Abdullahi reads: That you, Abubakar
Abdullahi sometimes in 2021 at Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of
this honorable court did dishonestly convert to your own use the sum of Six
Million Naira, property of one Wasiu Abdulkarim and thereby committed an
offence contrary to and punishable under Section 308 and 309 of the penal code
law respectively.
Upon arraignment, the defendant pleaded not guilty to
the charge, prompting the prosecution counsel, M.O Tijani to
ask the court for a trial date.
Justice Mohammed thereafter remanded the defendant at
Gombe Correctional Service and adjourned the matter to June 30 ,
2025.
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