By Miriam Humbe
The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the conviction and sentence of 21 internet fraudsters before Justices A.N. Erhabor and W. I. Aziegbemhin of Edo State High Courts, sitting in Benin City.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity disclosed this in a statement signed on Thursday.
The convicts are: Eimuen Nathaniel, Ighagbon Anderson Andy, Precious Aigbokhai, Divine Ebosetale Okhitie, Ekpekurede Valour, Akuson Sunday, Oshoikpor Joshua, Onumegu Chukwuebuka Emmanuel, Sylvester Oseokoedion, Osifor Kenneth, Abraham Eromosele, Aliu Sanusi Aliu.
Others are: Donald Emuen, Oseghale Paris, Amavu Paul, Godsent Omokhoa, Omere Osabvohien Love, Stephen Edetalen Obhanoghor, Segun Nelson Owoyele, Emmanuel Essence and Oriarewoh Divine Eronmonsele
They were prosecuted on a separate one-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime and possession of fraudulent documents.
The charge against Eimuen Nathaniel reads: “That you Nathaniel (m) on or about the 14th of February, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession, documents which you knew or ought to have known contained false pretence, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
All the defendants pleaded “guilty” to their charges when they were read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel, F.A Jirbo, K Y. Bello, Isa K. Agwai, Faisal Ibrahim, Al-Amin Ibrahim Abdul, Bala-Ribah and Salihu Ahmed to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they have become remorseful for their actions.
Justice Erhabor convicted and sentenced Love, Valour, Sunday, Oriarewoh Eromosele, Okoedion, Omokhoa and Kenneth to two years imprisonment, each or to pay N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine respectively, while he slammed Obhanoghor, Okhitie and Paul with three years imprisonment each or to pay N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, respectively.
Justice W.I. Aziegbemhin convicted and sentenced Owoyele and Esence to two years imprisonment each or to pay N300, 000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) and N600, 000 (Six Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, respectively.
He slammed Andy, Aigbokhai, Joshua and Emmanuel to two years imprisonment, each or to pay N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine respectively, while Nathaniel, Abraham Eromonsele, Aliu and Paris bagged two years imprisonment or to pay N400,000 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, while Emuen bagged three years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N600,000 (Six Hundred Thousand Naira).
In addition to their sentences, all the convicts forfeited their phones, computers and money, found in their respective bank accounts to the federal government of Nigeria and undertook in writing to be of good behaviour henceforth.
The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began with their arrest in a sting operation by operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC following intelligence that linked them to fraudulent internet activities.
