Justice M.S.Abubakar of the Federal
High Court, sitting in Makurdi, Benue State has ordered the
forfeiture to the federal government, the sum of N232,396,714.00
(Two Hundred and Thirty-two Million, Three Hundred and Ninety-six Thousand, Seven
Hundred and Fourteen Naira), a hotel as well as the sum
of $4,977 (Four Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy-seven
US Dollars) recovered from seven fraudsters.
The forfeiture followed the conviction and
sentencing of the fraudsters, prosecuted on
separate one-count charges, bordering on criminal impersonation,
money laundering, cybercrime and obtaining by false pretence by the
Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC.
The convicts are: Tamaraudeinyefa Shedrack
Brakekebebe, Godday Conference Brakekebebe, Terhemba Josiah Asagh, Nyiter
Avalumun Elijah, Ahmed Alabi Akindele, Kennedy Torbem Ayanger and Hwande
Aondooungwa James.
The charge against Brakekebebe reads: “That you
Tamaraudeinyefa Shedrack Brakebebe "M" ( 24 years old) in Makurdi,
Benue State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did retain the
sum of N64,762,169.00 ( Sixty Four Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty Nine
Naira) in your Access Bank Account Number 0106661087 and the sum of
N102,750,246.00 ( One Hundred and Two Million,Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand,
Two Hundred and Forty Six Naira) in your Zenith Bank Account number 2650121852,
which you reasonably knew to be proceeds of unlawful Act, to wit; Cybercrime
and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money
Laundering ( prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2022 and punishable under
Section 18(3)of the same Section.
That of Asagh reads: “That you Terhemba Josiah
Asagh "M"( 27 years old) sometime between 2021 and 2025 in
Makurdi, Benue State with intent to defraud did send electronic messages
via Facebook App with fake identity as an Asian soldier, working for
United Nations in the United State of America which reliance, unsuspecting
foreigners were caused to suffer loss of about $300,0000 ( Three Hundred
Thousand USD, which you converted to your Kuda Bank Account Number 2018650772
and use same in building a Century Crip Inn Hotel, Gboko and thereby committed
an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(b)of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition and
Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under same Section of the Act.”
They all pleaded “guilty” to their charges when they
were read to them, prompting the review of their cases by prosecuting
counsel M.Yusuf, A.S.Idris, A.Gazali K.T.Sunday and Imadifon Igbinidu,
who urged the court afterwards to convict and sentence them
accordingly.
After listening to prosecution and
defence counsel, Justice Abubakar convicted and sentenced
Tamaraudeinyefa Brakekebebe to one year imprisonment or to pay
N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition,
he forfeited the sum of N102,750,246.00 (One Hundred and Two
Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty Six
Naira), found in his Zenith Bank Account No: 2650121856 and the sum
of N64,762,169.00 (Sixty Four Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand,
One Hundred and Sixty Nine Naira) to the federal government.
Godday Brakekebebe was convicted and sentenced to
three years imprisonment or to pay N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand
Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited the sum of N56,
633,246 (Fifty-six Million, Six Hundred and Thirty-three Thousand, Two
Hundred and Forty-six Naira) found in his Zenith Bank Account No:
4068151050 and another sum of N200,929.00 (Two Hundred Thousand, Nine
Hundred and Twenty-nine Naira ), found in his Access Bank account No:
1462517972 to the federal government.
Asagh was convicted and sentenced to one year
imprisonment or to pay N1,500,000,00 (One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira)
fine. In addition, he forfeited his Century Crip Inn
Hotel, situated at No: 41 Adekaa Yaji Street, Gboko North LGA, Benue
State and registered as plot 5352 in Gboko Land Registry and a Mercedes-Benz
E350 4Matic with Chassis No: WDDHFBQAA121814 and Registration No: ABJ 367
CY to the federal government.
Elijah bagged one year imprisonment or to
pay N500,000.00 ( Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he
is to restitute the sum of N10million to his victim through the EFCC
Recovery Account and forfeit a Mercedes-Benz GLE with chassis
No:4J6D5H876A44065 and Registration No ABJ 797 AL to the federal
government.
Akindele was convicted and sentenced to two
years imprisonment or to pay N100,000.00 ( One Hundred Thousand Naira)
fine. In addition, he is to restitute the sum of N1,645,000.00 (One
Million, Six Hundred and Forty-five Thousand Naira) to his victim.
Ayanger was convicted and sentenced to one year
imprisonment or to pay N100,000.00( One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In
addition, he is to restitute the sum of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred
Thousand Naira) to his victim, while James was convicted and
sentenced to three years imprisonment or to pay N500,000.00 ( Five Hundred
Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited the sum of
N8,050,124.00 (Eight Million and Fifty Thousand, One Hundred and
Twenty-four Naira) found in his Zenith Bank Account No: 4256815018 and as well
as $4977 ( Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy-seven
US Dollars) USD in his wallet account to the federal government.
The road to their ill-fate began when operatives
of the Special Task Force (STF) of the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of
the EFCC followed credible intelligence on their
involvements in fraudulent criminal activities and arrested them
in their hideouts.
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