The Jos trio; Ndubisi Ozomba, Paul Obide and Samuel Nduchuckwu and the Makurdi duo of Adegoke Ishola and Amahian Ometese
Justice C.L. Dabup of the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos, today July 7, 2021 sentenced three internet fraudsters, Nbubuisi Kerian Ozomba, Paul Obide and Samuel Chukwuebuka Nduchukwe to one-month imprisonment for obtaining money by false pretence through the social media platform, Facebook.
The trio were arrested in a sting operation by the Abuja Zonal Office of the EFCC following intelligence on their alleged involvement in internet-related scam.
Investigation revealed that Ozomba created a Facebook Account with the name James Hicks with a profile picture of an America military officer and obtained the sum of $350 USD from Mary Lovely, a Filipino; while Obide (alias Javier Espinal) posed as a military officer from Spain and obtained $2000 from another Filipino, Lovina. He claimed the said sum was for treatment of his sick daughter.
Nduchukwe also created a Facebook Account with the name Alpha Benedict of the United States Army serving in Afghanistan and used same to defraud Christy Serue from the Philippines of $510.
They pleaded ‘guilty’ to the charges preferred against them.
EFCC counsel S.N. Robert urged the court to convict and sentence them in accordance with the plea bargain agreement they voluntarily entered with the Commission.
The Court consequently sentenced them to a month in prison. They were however given the option of a fine of N150, 000 naira each.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Makurdi Zonal Office on Wednesday July 7, 2021 secured the conviction of one Amahian Omotese before Justice Abdu Dogo of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State on a one-count charge bordering on failure to obtain proper identification and record of a customer on her Point of Sale (POS) before executing the customer’s electronic instruction to withdraw the aggregate sum of N300, 000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira only).
The offence is contrary to Section 37(2) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.
The defendant pleaded ‘guilty’ when the charge was read to her. Prosecution counsel, M. Yusuf reviewed the facts of the case and urged the Court to convict her accordingly.
Justice Dogo convicted and sentenced Omotese to three months imprisonment with an option of N50, 000 fine.
In a related development, Justice Dogo also convicted and sentenced one Ishola Adegoke Yusuf, to three months imprisonment with an option of N50, 000 Naira fine, for fraudulently obtaining N200, 000 from one Johm Amuche through his ATM Card without the consent of the card holder.
He was also ordered to pay the sum of N200, 000 to the victim as restitution, while the balance of N529, 345.75, in his Zenith Bank Account Number 20389824 is forfeited to Federal Government, and to paid within 7 days of the judgment by the bank through the EFCC.
The Court also ordered Zenith Bank to close the account to forestall further used of the said account for criminal purposes.
Wilson Uwujaren
