By Joe Udo
Justice P. I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers state has convicted and sentenced an internet fraudster, Chukwuema Samuel Andrew to 30 (thirty) months imprisonment for impersonation and obtaining money under false pretence.
He was jailed on two-count charge bordering on obtaining under false pretence and impersonation upon being arraigned by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Count one reads: “That you, Chukwuema Samuel Andrew (A.K.A Mary Parlier) sometime in April, 2021 at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of $5,000 (Five Thousand Three Hundred Dollars) Crystal Shepherd under the pretext of being Mary Parlier, a female military soldier serving in Yemen as a computer operator, a pretext which to your knowledge was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) of the Advance Fee and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.
He pleaded guilty when the charges were read to him.
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In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, B. O. Agala prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
Defense counsel P. U. Ogbuehi did not oppose the submission of the prosecution but prayed the court to temper justice with mercy stressing that “ the defendant is a first-time offender and does not have any previous criminal records”.
Justice Ajoku after listening to the submissions of both counsels thereafter convicted and sentenced the defendant to thirty (30) months imprisonment on counts one and two or an option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) payable into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government of Nigeria. The sentence is to run concurrently.
The judge also ordered that phones recovered from the convict at the scene of arrest should be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the convict should also depose an affidavit of good behaviour before the court.
Andrew started his journey to the Correctional Centre when he was arrested by the EFCC during an operation code-named “Eagle Sweep” sometime in June, 2023, at Golf Estate, Port Harcourt for internet fraud activities.
He was investigated and found to be impersonating foreigners to dupe his victims. He particularly defrauded his victims to the tune of $5,000. He was later prosecuted and convicted.