Justice Nasiru .U. Sadiq of the Kaduna State High court has convicted and sentenced eight internet fraudsters to various terms of imprisonment for internet-related offences, cheating and impersonation.
The fraudsters : Jimoh Hamza, David Joseph, Osondu Obinna Stanley, Praise Yusuf, Ashiru Adamu, Abdulwasiu Yunus, Yusuf Buhari and Joseph Jerry were jailed on Wednesday, August 31, 2022 after pleading guilty to one-count separate charge bordering on impersonation and cheating, upon their arraignment by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The one count charge for David Joseph reads,: “That you David Joseph Adoyi, on or about the 11th of August, 2022, at Goni Gora axis of Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and in such assumed character impersonated one Mark Johnson (an American citizen) via your Instagram account and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.
The charge for Abdulwasiu Yunus reads: “That you Abdulwasiu Yunus, Male, sometimes in April, 2022, in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, impersonated one Alina Belle, a citizen of United States of America on Instagram and in such false identity engaged David Plewis on a romantic relationship and obtained the sum of $5000 USD (Five Thousand United States of America Dollar) worth of gift cards, and you thereby committed cheating by impersonation, an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Law, 2017 of Kaduna State and punishable under Section 309 of the same law”.
The defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when read to each one of them separately.
Consequent on their guilty pleas, prosecution counsels: Moses Arumemi and Matiyak.Y.John and M. Lawal, prayed the court to convict them accordingly but defence counsels: Abu Usman.A, N.S Dantata, Aba Cornelius Afiyoup, N. Shehu and B.A Tanko, sued for mercy of the court for the defendants, stressing that they had become remorseful.
Justice Sadiq thereafter convicted and sentenced Joseph to three months imprisonment or pay a fine of N100,000,00( One Hundred Thousand Naira). He is also to forfeit One Iphone 11 Pro mobile phone to the government. Hamza was sentenced to three months imprisonment or pay a fine of N150,000.00( One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) and forfeit One Apple Iphone X5 Max mobile phone to the government.
Also, Yusuf bagged three months imprisonment or pay a fine of N150,000.00 and forfeit One Infinix Hot 5 mobile phone to the government. Both Stanley and Adamu got three months imprisonment each or pay a fine of N100,000.00 each. They also forfeited their phones to the government
On the parts of Yunus and Buhari, Justice Sadiq convicted and sentenced them to three months imprisonment each, without an option of fine. They forfeited the following items to the government: one black LG Led TV, 3.1 multimedia speakers system, 5×5 Vitafoam mattress, one-seater cushion chair, one Senwei SV2200 generator, one black and brown TV stand, one black wall mirror. one Apple Iphone 12 Pro Max, one black Dell laptop, a bank draft in the sum of N350,000.00( Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), a 6×12 mattress, two black colour cushioned chairs ,one Hisense fridge, a washing machine, decoder, Yamaha generator, 4 sets of speaker, a DVD video, one motorcycle, one microwave, two pairs of shoes and a 21inch Hisense television set.
Jerry was also sentenced and convicted to three months imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000.00 and forfeited two mobile phones to the government.