Calabar, Nigeria – A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has convicted and sentenced four internet fraudsters (Yahoo Boys) to prison.
The four convicts, Itoro Eno Akpan, Abasifreke Uwem, Elisha Asuquo Nnah (a.k.a Jong Seck) and Ezinwa Emmanuel Ikenna, were sentenced by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, on Monday, to various jail terms for internet fraud.
Converseer learned that the convicts were prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Uyo Zonal Directorate, on two-count charges bordering on cybercrime, money laundering and impersonation.
The charge against Akpan read: “That you Itoro Eno Akpan, sometime in 2024 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did take possession of the sum of $400 (Four Hundred Dollars) which you reasonably ought to have known forms proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
That of Nnah read: “That you, Elisha Asuquo Nnah (a.k.a Jong Seck) sometime in 2024 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court took possession of $300 (Three Hundred US Dollars) knowing that the money formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022”.
They all pled “guilty” when the charges were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, Kharmis Mahmud to review the facts of the cases, tendered the statements of the defendants, print out fictitious and misleading information from their communication devices, all of which were admitted in evidence and prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Ojukwu convicted and sentenced Akpan and Uwem to a one-year jail term on each of their two counts, which is to run concurrently. Furthermore, Akpan is to restitute the sum of $400 to his victim and Uwem to restitute $200 to his.
Nnah and Ikenna were convicted and sentenced to two years jail terms, each on either of the two counts. In addition, Nnah is to restitute the sum of $300 to his victim while Ikenna is to restitute the sum of $800 to his.
Furthermore, all their mobile devices are to be auctioned and the proceeds deposited into the federal government’s Treasury Account, while all the restitutions from the convicts would be lodged in the federal government treasury if the victims were not located.
“The convicts bagged their imprisonment when they were arrested by operatives of the EFCC for internet fraud. They were charged to court and convicted,” a statement by the EFCC read.
