BY TIMOTHY AGBOR
Justice N.U. Sadiq of the Kaduna State High Court has sentenced seven internet fraudsters to two years imprisonment each for fleecing foreigners of their money.
The convicts included Felix Chidebere Gabriel, Hayble Wisdom, Joseph Yusuf, Amos Emmanuel, Solomon Haruna, Joshua Peter Bello and Abraham Adewale Ajoboh.
In a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday, the culprits were convicted on separate charges bordering on cybercrime and cheating by impersonation.
The statement read in part, “Six of the convicts were raided by the operatives from their hideouts at Narayi and Barnawa in Kaduna metropolis, following intelligence on their alleged internet-based fraudulent activities luring their unsuspecting victims with foreign identities to part with foreign currencies and the 7th, Amos Emmanuel, was convicted for representing himself as the owner of a machine.
“They all pleaded guilty to their respective charges and the prosecuting counsel, M.U Gadaka and K. S. Ogunnade, urged the court to convict them accordingly.
“Justice Sadiq, thereafter convicted and sentenced all the defendants to two years imprisonment with the option of N150,000 fine each and also ordered forfeiture of their mobile devices including an iPhone 7 plus, 2 iPhone 13 Pro Max, one iPhone XR and one Samsung iPhone X, to the Federal Government.
“Yusuf and Haruna are to restitute their victims in the sums of $100U and $200 respectively, the judge added.”
