The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC ,
Abuja Zonal Directorate, on Tuesday, July 29, 2025 has arraigned eight
suspected internet fraudsters before Justice Anyalewa Onoja-Alapa of the
Federal High Court Lafia, Nasarawa State.
They were arraigned on one-count separate
charges bordering on obtaining by false pretences. The suspects are Timileyin
Jude, Kelvin Godwin, Benedict Simon Udoh and Israel Ugwu. Others are Friday
Onigbe, Ismaila Jemilu, Salifu Mustapha Achema and Paul Attah.
Godwin’s count reads, “That you Kelvin Godwin sometime
in the year 2025 at Karu, Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High
Court of Nigeria fraudulently impersonated one Bad Ass Kylie from America by
means of your iPhone 14 Pro mobile device via a fake Telegram social media
account with intent to gain advantage for yourself from unsuspecting foreign
nationals, under the guise of which you benefitted the sum of $200 (Two Hundred
States Dollars) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2)
(b)(i) and (ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as
amended 2024) and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b)(iv) of the same Act”.
Udoh’s count reads, “That you Benedict Simon
Udoh sometime in the year 2025 at Karu Nasarawa state within the jurisdiction
of this Honorable Court fraudulently through your iPhone 14 Pro Max
fraudulently impersonated black military man from the United states of
America using different social media site Neckter-recovery of Instagram,
Wizzytechassit on email and anededepablo on Facebook with intent to obtain
money and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (ii) of
the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended 2024) and
punishable under Section 22 (2) (b)(iv) of the same Act”.
All suspects pleaded guilty, prompting
prosecution counsel S.N. Robert to urge the court to convict and sentence them.
In his ruling, Justice Onoja-Alapa convicted and
sentenced all the defendants to one year imprisonment. While Jude,
Godwin, Jemilu and Achema have the option to pay a fine of N100, 000 (One
Hundred Thousand Naira), Udoh and Ugwu have an option of N150, 000 (One Hundred
and Fifty Thousand Naira). Attah has an option of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand
Naira) while Onigbe is to pay the balance of $204.35 having restituted $215 to
his victims. Justice Onoja-Alapa also ordered that all phones used to
perpetrate the crimes be sold and monies paid to the Proceeds of Crime Account.
All the convicts bagged their imprisonment when they
were arrested for internet crimes. They were charged to court and jailed.
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