The Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, convicted and sentenced 16 cybercriminals on one count charge each for offenses bordering on impersonation and obtaining by false pretenses.
Sitting in Port Harcourt, Justice Adamu Tukur Mohammed of the Federal High Court convicted and sentenced them to various jail terms.
The defendants identified as Saheed Ibrahim Odunayo, Oduwa Osagieduwa, Ahmed Rilwan, Okpodu Samson, Abimbola Akinboyejo, Akande Oluwaferanmi, Samson Fadugbagbe, and Prince Ifeakachukwu Abandi, Dogo Samson, Olurunlayo Busayo Adewale, Joshua Temiloluwa, Oniye Damilare, Oluwagbemiga Blessing, Lucky Morrison, Adekolurejo Femi James, and Alasa Solomon all pled guilty to the respective charges.
The charge against one of them, Ahmed Rilwan read: “That you Ahmed Rilwan (m) sometime in 2019 at Owo, Ondo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud sent an electronic message which materially misrepresents your identity of Jessica, an American lady upon which she relied and suffered financial loss in the sum of $1,500 (One Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars) and you thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 14(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015.”
In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Francis Jibro, prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
One of the defense counsels, Pascal Ugbome urged the court to honor the plea bargain agreement entered by the parties.
Announcing the verdict, Justice Mohammed sentenced the duo of Adekolurejo Femi James and Oduwa Osagieduwa to two years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000 each.
The quartet of Saheed Ibrahim Odunayo, Samson Fadugbagbe, Okpodu Samson, and Olurunlayo Basayo Adewale was sentenced to two years imprisonment or a fine of N300,000.
Alasa Solomon bagged two years imprisonment or a fine of N400,000 while Ahmed Rilwan was sentenced to three years imprisonment or a fine of N300,000.
Lucky Morrison, Joshua Temiloluwa, Abimbola Akinboyejo, Oluwagbemiga Blessing, Akande Oluwaferanmi, Oniye Damilare, and Dogo Samson were sentenced to two years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 each while Prince Ifeakachukwu got three years imprisonment with the option of a N500,000 fine.
