Court Jails Four for Internet Fraud in Kaduna

Justice A.Isyaka of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna, the state capital has convicted and sentenced the quartet of Promise Usman, Daniel Chinedu, Fahad Yusuf Badamasi and Emmanuel Chidera Udochukwu to prison for fraud.  

They were prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate one-count charge that bordered on impersonation, cheating and obtaining by false pretence. 

The charge against Usman reads: "That you Promise Usman ( a.k.a Maryam Muhammed) (m), sometime in 2025 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, cheated several unsuspecting victims of the total sum of N450,000.00 ( Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira, only) when you pretended to be Maryam Mohammed; an investment broker on 'Facebook' (an online social media application), which you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law of 2017 and punishable under section of the same law. 

That of Chinedu reads: “That you, Daniel Chisom Chinedu ( a.k.a Reese Witherspoon) sometime, between April-August 2024 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence to wit: cheating by impersonation when you falsely represented yourself as Reese Witherspoon and under such assumed identity, induced one Gene Virmilya to send you the total sum of $500 ( Five Hundred United States of America Dollars, only) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.” 

They all pleaded "guilty", following which the prosecution counsel M.O. Arumemi asked the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while the defence counsel pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they have become remorseful of their actions.  

Justice Isyaka convicted and sentenced Udochukwu and Badamasi to two years imprisonment, respectively or to pay N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, each. In addition, Udochukwu forfeited his Huawei Y6 Pro 2020 mobile phone, while Badamasi forfeited his iPhone 7 mobile phone, being the tools of their crime to the federal government. 

Usman was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment or to pay N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited iPhone 13 128gb to the federal government.  

Chinedu was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment or to pay N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited his iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro and the sum of $500 (Five Hundred United State of America Dollars), being the tools and proceeds of his crime, respectively to the federal government.  

The convicts were arrested by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC in Mahuta metropolis, Babar Saura and Sabo areas of the state, following credible intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities.