Justice Rosemary Dugbo-Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State on Monday, convicted and sentenced five internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
The convicts: Michael Aregbesola (a.k.a Amin Deera), Adeleke Toba Richard(Alias Jason Avtandil), Mkpoikanke Emmanuel Udoh (a.k.a Tom Jones), Gideon Mishell Effiong (a.k.a Gianluca Jinoble) and Momodu John Modupe (a.k.a George Woods), were charged to court by the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, for criminal impersonation, fraudulent messaging and money laundering.
One of the charges read: “That you, Adeleke Toba RIchard (Alias J AVTANDIL), on or February, 2024 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently took possession of the sum of Five Hundred US Dollars ($500), being property of Ms Bella, a United State Woman, which you reasonably ought to have known that it was a proceed of unlawful act to wit; Impersonation and thereby committed an Offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act”.
Another count reads: “That you Gideonn Mishell Effiong (a.k.a Gianluca Jinoble) sometime in September, 2024 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court did take possession of the sum of Five Hundred Euros (500 Euros) which you reasonably ought to have known forms proceed of an unlawful act to wit: Cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2Xd) of the Money laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act”.
While Effiong and Richard each pleaded guilty to the two -count charges preferred against them, Aregbesola, Udoh and Modupe also pleaded guilty to the one- count charge levelled against them by the Commission.
In view of their guilty pleas, Prosecution Counsel Kharmis Mahmud urged the court to convict the defendants and sentence them accordingly.
While reviewing facts of the case, Mahmud tendered the following exhibits which the court admitted in evidence: The defendants’ statements and fraudulent documents printed from their various gadgets. The defence team: Francis Ezeike, Samson Awuje and Emmanuel Sabe did not oppose the prosecution.
Justice Dugbo-Oghoghorie then convicted the defendants and sentenced them as follows: Effiong bagged four years jail term on each of the two counts, with an option of fine of €2, 500 and restitution of €500 to his victim; Richard got seven years on each count with the option to pay a fine of $2, 500 and restitution of $500 to his victim. The jail terms are to run concurrently.
Also, the court convicted and sentenced
Aregbesola and Udoh to seven years jail term each or pay the sum of N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira) each as option of fine, Modupe bagged four years jail term with a fine option of N5million.
The convicts commenced their journey to the Correctional centre when investigators of the Uyo Directorate of the Commission investigated them for their suspicious online presence and lifestyle. They were eventually charged to court and convicted.
