Yahoo Boys 38 internet fraudsters popularly known as YahooBits have been convicted and sent to prison by the trial judges in Enugu, Enugu State; Awka, Anambra State and Benin City, Edo State.
The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC secured the conviction and sentencing of 31 internet fraudsters by Justices Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court, sitting in Enugu and Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, sitting in Awka, Anambra State.
According to the Commission, the convicts are Pascal Chinedu, Chiemerie Edeh, Okeke Chiagozie Harrison, Chidera Victor Mmadu, Chizoba Onyedika Felix, Ekperechi David, Sunday John Cross, Enenta Ebube Michael, Nwankwo Tochukwu Firminus, Chukwuebuka Sebastine Ozoemena, Vincent Eduvie, Chisom Mbagu Augustine, Ifeanyi Samuel, Abunoko Kelly, Ikechukwu Joshua, Agada Daniel Olema, Eguiri Franklyn and Akpoze Julius.
Others are, Evans Odibo, Martins Chinedu Ugwueke, Eli Izuchukwu Ogbonna, Samuel Ogbonnia, Amarachi Abigail Nwalue, Abraham Chimeremeze, Godbless Akpoze, Mmoyekwe Okwudili, Emmanuel Nwanga, Eduje Precious, Umoke Chinedu Reuben, Godwin Happy and Nnabuike Collins Odoh.
While Chinedu, Edeh, Harrison, Mmadu, Felix, David, Cross, Michael, Firminus, and Ozoemena were arraigned on February 21, 2024 before Justice Umar, the remaining 21 convicts were arraigned on February 22, 2024 before Justice Dimgba.
The 31 faced one-count separate charges bordering on fraudulent impersonation, obtained by pretense and possession of fraudulent documents, to which they all pleaded “guilty.”
Onyedika’s charge reads: “That you, Chizoba Onyedika Felix, sometime in February 2024, in Asaba, Delta State, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court with intent to defraud, sent a message to one Sig Serdel, a German National by means of your Redmi Note 11 through your fake telegram account +19086996877 presenting yourself as Loraine Francis, Bitcoin investor and obtained the sum of $1,300 from Sig Serdel and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 14 (2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section.”
In view of their “guilty” pleas, Nuradeen Shehu Ingawa and Michael Ikechukwu Ani, counsels to the EFCC, reviewed the facts of the cases and prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while C. J. Nwatadi, Bernard Okeke, U. AKposi, Arinze Anyigo , C. S. Nwobodo, E. C. Chinyeze and Collins Akpusi, who were defense counsels, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that their clients were first-time offenders.
Justice Umar convicted and sentenced Michael, Ozoemena, Cross, Chiedu, and Firminus to 12 months imprisonment each, with a fine option of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) respectively. He handed 24 months imprisonment with a fine option of N750,000.00 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) to Felix, and sentenced Harrison and Mmadu to 18 months imprisonment each, with a fine option of N500,000.00 respectively. He also sentenced Edeh to 10 months imprisonment with a fine option of N300 ( Three Hundred Naira) while David bagged six months imprisonment with a fine option of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira). In addition to his sentence, Justice Umar ordered Felix to make a restitution of the sum of $1,300 (One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Dollars) to his victim through the Federal Government.
Justice Dimgba convicted and sentenced Odoh and Olema to one year imprisonment each, with a fine option of N150,000.00 ( One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) respectively, while the rest 19 were sentenced to two weeks of community service.
All the convicts forfeited their mobile phones recovered from them to the Federal Government.
They bagged their imprisonment after they were arrested at various locations by operatives of the Enugu Zonal Command of the EFCC for their involvement in internet-related offenses.
In a related development, Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, convicted and sentenced seven internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
The convicts are Ayokunle Victor, Enoferodion Kingsley Osadebamwen, Endurance Igbineweka, Ale Emmanuel Mayowa, Ojo Wonder Toluwani, Okolie Kelechi Kingsley and Olaleye Joshua Ayomide.
They were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charge bordering on obtaining by false pretenses when they were arraigned by the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The charge against Osadebamwen reads: “that you Kingsley Enoferodion Osadebamwen (m) on or about the 10th day of February 2024 in Benin City, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this honorable court did have in your possession documents which you knew or ought to have known contain a false pretense and thereby committed an offense contrary to Sections 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.2006 and punishable under Section 1(3)of same Act.
Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to them. Based on their pleas, prosecution counsels, F.A. Jirbo and Salihu Ahmed prayed to the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. However, counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as they have become remorseful for their actions.
Justice Ikponmwonba convicted and sentenced the trio of Ayomide, Mayowa, and Victor to three years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) each. The duo of Igbineweka and Osadebamwen bagged three years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) each. The judge also convicted and sentenced Kingsley to two years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 while Toluwani was sentenced to community service.
The judge ordered that the defendants forfeit their phones, balances in their various bank accounts and one black Mercedes Benz GLK 2010 model recovered from Osadebamwen being proceeds and instruments of crime to the Federal Government of Nigeria. All the convicts are to undertake in writing to be of good behavior afterward.
The convicts' road to the Correctional Center began following their arrest by operatives of the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission based on actionable intelligence regarding their involvement in fraudulent activities. After thorough investigations, they were arraigned on a one-count separate charge of personation and unlawful possession of fraudulent documents.
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Category: World-News
Tag: 38 Yahoo Boys Sent to Prison in Enugu Awka and Benin City
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Published 2/27/2024 1:57:03 AM