A Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State have found one Onojah Emmanuel Samuel, a Lokoja-born singer, and two other defendants guilty of offenses bordering on cybercrime.
On September 12, 2022, Samuel, together with Victor Atsumbe Kadiyamo and Jejelowo Segun entered guilty pleas to distinct counts of accusations bordering on internet fraud.
The defendants were arraigned by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, according to EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren.
The charge against Samuel reads: “That you, Onojah Emmanuel Samuel, sometime in May, 2022 at Lokoja, Kogi State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court fraudulently impersonated one Richard Philips via your Instagram account linked to your gmail account: [email protected] with intent to obtain money from one Erika which you did obtain the sum of Eighty Pounds worth gift cards and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (ii) of Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”
In his ruling, Justice Muhammed Sani found Samuel guilty and sentenced him to three years in jail on counts one and two, with the possibility of an additional N100,000 on each count. The phone that the convicted offender used to conduct the crime must now belong to the federal government, the court said.
Kadiyamo was also found guilty and given a sentence of three years in jail on counts 1, 2, and 3. Counts 1 and 2 each contained a fine option of N100,000, while count 3 carried a fine option of N54,194,680.
In addition, the criminal forfeited to the authorities the Lexus he bought with the proceeds of his illegal activities as well as his phone.
Segun received a similar verdict and sentence, which included five years in prison and the possibility of a N500,000 fine. The judge also mandated that the government seize his phone and Toyota Matrix car.
The convicts began their journey to the Correctional Centre, when they were arrested by the EFCC operatives of the for internet-related offences.
Further investigations linked them with impersonation of foreigners. They defrauded both local and foreign victims in the process.
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