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. Eruka Vandefan Ephraim, Akaahar Andrew Tsumga, Ugochukwu Stephen Ikenna and Atu Sunday bagged one year imprisonment with an option of (N100.0000.00) One Hundred Thousand Naira fine each. Chukwudi Daniel was convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. Nyior Benjamin and Astaregh Terkuma Benedict bagged two years imprisonment with an option of N500,000.00 and N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) respectively. Kaun Jeremiah was convicted and sentenced to six (6) months imprisonment or an option of N20,000.00 (Twenty Thousand Naira).
Other convicts are: Paul Meraba Torkuma convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment or an option of N500,000.00. He 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 N500,000.00 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. Other convicts include: Solomon Adejo, Mohammed Habib Adejo and Abubakar Sadiq Adejo who were jailed two years each with an option of N500,000.00 fine for Solomon and Abubakar each while Mohammed was fined N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira).
The court ordered Abubakar to forfeit a grey colour Toyota Car with registration number ABUJA (YAB 668 DP) purchased with the proceeds of crime to form part of the restitution sum valued at N14,500,000.00 (Fourteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) and t N3,562,750.00 (Three Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira) recovered in his possession.
