Makurdi Courts Jail 32 for Internet Fraud

Justices M.S.Abubakar and A. Onoja of the Federal High  Court Makurdi  and  M.I. Ikpambese of the  Benue State High Court,  Makurdi have convicted and sentenced thirty  two internet fraudsters to various jail terms.

The convicts were jailed  after pleading guilty to one -count separate charges bordering on internet fraud  upon their  arraignment by the Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC .

The convicts are: Eruka Vandefan Ephraim, Chukwudi Daniel Ifeanyi, Akahar Andrew Tsumga, Ugochukwu Stephen Ikenna, Atu Sunday, Nyior Benjamin Saakula, Atsaregh Terkuma Benedict, Kaun Jeremiah, Ochigbo Cletus, Tule Bemba Joseph, Jude Terhemba,  Paul MerabaTorkuma, Mathias Ebute, Terungwa Terna Rapheal, Shaahu Abraham Atuur, Justine Usar Idyekaa, Solomon Adejo,John Kator Wanger,  Abubakar Sadiq Adejo, Mohammed Habib Adejo, Ule Francis Terlumun, Nyior David, Cynic Isaac,Adadu Samson Ogaba, Abraham Ombugadu Luka, Onah Oboh Joseph and Joseph Ulayi Akagiaobe, 

Others are: Agennah Franklyn, Ochigo Cletus, Tule Benba Joseph, Hembafan Samuel Tarhembe and Jude Terhemba.

The charge against Atu Sunday reads: "That you, Atu Sunday sometime in April 2022 in Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court dishonestly induced Intelligent Lab Limited by requesting for multiple chargeback of a successful transaction done on their Point Of Sale (POS) a transaction you knew was false, causing her wrongful loss through your deceit and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 322 of the Penal Code (CAP) 124 Laws of Benue State and punishable under the same Law."

All the defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them, prompting counsel to EFCC M.Yusuf, A.S.Idris and A.Gazali to pray the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.

also forfeited the sum of N4,800,000.00( Four Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) one Red Colour Lexus 2010 Model with registration number ABUJA ( KWL 413 BZ and iphone 13 Pro Max,  Mathias Ebute convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment or an option of N5000,000.00 fine.  He forfeited  his iphone 14 pro max and the sum of N4,000,000.00( Four Million Naira) to the Federal Government of Nigeria,  Terungwa Terna Rapheal   jailed one year or N300,000.00 ( Three Hundred Thousand Naira) fine,  Shaahu Abraham Atuur and Justine Usar Idyerkaa jailed one year each with a fine of N 200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) each and an order to restitute the sum of N1,500.000.00( One  Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira and N300,000.00 ( Three Hundred Thousand) to their victims.

 Naira and his bank account closed.  Agennah Franlyn bagged one year jail term with an option of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira fine.  Ochigo Cletus was imprisoned for one year with an option of N200, 000  fine.  Tule Bemba Joseph jailed one year with an option of N200,000.00 fine.  He forfeited  One Toyota Corolla 2013 Model with Registration number BENUE ( VDY 54 DA ) , the sum of N5,578,999.34 ( Five Million, Five Hundred and Seventy Eight Thousand  Nine Hundred and Ninety Nine Naira, Thirty Four kobo) domiciled in his bank account.