Justice Hauwa'u Bubari
of the Federal High Court, sitting in Kaduna has convicted and sentenced
the duo of Audu Ishida and Elisha Smith to six years
imprisonment for fraud.
They were prosecuted
by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission EFCC on a separate-count
charge, bordering on impersonation, retention of proceeds of
fraud and money laundering.
Smith’s charge
reads: “That you Elisha Smith (m) sometime in
May, 2024, in Jos South, Plateau State, within the
jurisdiction of this honorable court, retained the total sum of
N808,234.02(Eight Hundred and Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and
Thirty-four Naira Two Kobo only), in your account
no.9030090284, domiciled at Palmpay Bank Ltd with account name:Elisha
Smith Anzaina which you knew that such fund forms part of proceeds of an
unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d)
of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition)Act, 2022 and
punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
That of Ishida reads:
“That you Audu Ishida (Baddie Kylemili) on or about the 2nd of
June, 2024 in Jos, within the jurisdiction of this honorable
court, retained the total sum of $50 U.S from your victim, which
you reasonably ought to have known forms parts of proceeds of an unlawful act
and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(a) of the Money
Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition)Act,2022 and punishable
under Section 20(b) of the same Act.”
They
pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to
them, prompting prosecution counsel, M.E Eimonye to urge the court to
convict and sentence them accordingly.
After listening
to the plea of the defence counsel, the judge convicted and sentenced
Smith to four years imprisonment or to pay a fine of
N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand
Naira), while he convicted and sentenced Ishida to two
years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N400,000 (Four Hundred
Thousand Naira).
Beside their prison
terms, they forfeited their mobile phones, a Samsung Galaxy
S10e and one Oppo F1s
Both convicts were arrested in Jos, Plateau State, following intelligence that linked them with fraudulent internet activities.
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