Courts Sentence Four Internet Fraudsters to Jail in Port Harcourt

Justices P. I. Ajoku, P. I. Ayua and S. I. Mark of the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 convicted and sentenced Daniel Ebubechi Chinweobo, Timi Olamide Samuel, Chibueze Thaddeus Ugochukwu and Emmanuel Linus to various jail terms for fraud. 

They were prosecuted by the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on separate charges, bordering on impersonation, advance fee fraud and obtaining money under false pretence 

The charge against Chinweobo reads: “That you, Daniel Ebubechi Chinweobo (a.k.a. Philip James) sometime in 2024, in Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently obtained the sum of One Thousand Great Britain Pounds (£1,000 only), from Marinela Gabriela, a Caucasian American, when you represented yourself to be Philip James, a military man from California, serving in Syria, who pretended to be in a marital relationship with Marinela Gabriela, which pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.” 

That of Ugochukwu reads: “That you, Chibueze Thaddeus Ugochukwu, on or about the 14th day of May, 2025, at Alakhahia axis of Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently obtained from one Grey the sum of Eight Hundred United States of America dollars ($800 only), under the false pretence that you are the Amanda Pappers, a citizen of the United States of America which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and Punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.” 

They all pleaded "guilty" to their charges, following which prosecution counsel A. Chukwuegwu and G. C Ngborokwu, tendered incriminating documents in evidence against them and urged the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly, while prosecution counsel, G. N. Chukwu, Yemi Ogunleye, A. O. Secondus and Chigozie Umunnakwem prayed the courts to temper justice with mercy on the ground that the defendants were first time offenders. 

Justice Ajoku convicted and sentenced, Chinweobo and Linus to 30 months in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, each or to pay N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira), respectively. Their sentences are to run concurrently and began from the date of their arrest.

Justice Ajua convicted and sentenced Ugochukwu to one year jail term or to pay 50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) fine, while Justice Mark convicted and sentenced Samuel to two years in prison or to pay N900,000 (Nine Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. 

In addition to their jail terms, they deposed to affidavit of good behaviour and forfeited a Techno mobile phone, a Samsung Galaxy phone, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone X, iPhone 16 Pro, an iPad and Lexus ES 350, recovered from them at the scene of their arrest to the federal government. 

The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began with their arrest by the Commission, sometime in April, 2025, following credible intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities in Port Harcourt.