A High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State, has convicted and sentenced two brothers identified as Ochuko Godfrey, Ochuko Prosper and 14 others to various jail terms on Tuesday.
This was disclosed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on its X, formerly Twitter account on Thursday.
The EFCC listed other culprits to include Prosper Enahoro, Ogheneoma Udolu, Raymond Edise, Akai Philip Onochie, Osayi Kennedy Obaseki, Joshua Ngerem, Oghogho Marvelous Ekpuke, Stanley David, Jackson Shebenor, Felix Orevaoghene Emmanuel, Gideon Onaiwu, Johnson Godspower Oghenevwegba, Godspower Emmanuel Jerimaiah, and Felix Wada.
It explained that the convicts were arraigned separately on a one-count charge of impersonation and possession of fraudulent documents by the Benin Zonal Command of the EFCC.
“They were arrested by operatives of the Commission based on actionable intelligence on their alleged internet fraud-related activities. Upon investigation, the convicts were discovered to be involved in different variants of internet fraud. For instance, Ochuko Godfrey impersonated one Richard Williams and Antonio Matthew in his attempt to defraud unsuspecting victims.
The charge against Joshua Ngerem reads: “that you, Joshua Ngerem on or about 8th September, 2023 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession documents which you knew or ought to have known contain a false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 6 and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of same Act”.
Upon arraignment, they pleaded guilty to their respective charges, after which they were convicted and sentenced accordingly.
The judge, Justice Efe Ikponmwonba, ordered the forfeiture of the convicts’ mobile phones, one HP Laptop and the balance in their bank accounts, being proceeds of crime, to the Federal government of Nigeria. The court further ordered that the bank accounts be closed.
“In a similar development, Justice S. M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City on Tuesday convicted and sentenced Anah Trust Avwerosuo to two years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 for his involvement in internet fraud. Avwerosuo had impersonated Henri-Alva-Rezi, an American, to defraud his victims,” the statement added.
