Cybercrime: Court Convicts 6 ‘Yahoo Boys’ in Abuja

Justice O. I. Adelaja of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Kubwa has convicted six people on one count separate charges bordering on internet fraud.

The defendants were docked by the Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

They are: Anekwu Chibuike Peterdamian, Eta Iso Okang, Kolawole Michael Taiwo, Ohue Daniel, Ocholi Husseni and Olatunji Anuoluwapo Johnson.

The charges against two of the defendants read: “that you Anekwu Chibuike Perterdamian (aka Nguyen Dinh) sometime in 2022 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, falsely represented yourself as a pilot in the United States of America through dating site and obtained the sum of $7,000 (Seven Thousand Dollars) from one Christian through Bitcoin and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) and punishable under Section 324 of the same Act.

“That you, Eta Iso Okang sometime in 2023 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did cheat by personation when you created an Instagram Account pretending to be Theodora, a United States of America citizen, a fact which you knew to be false and in that assumed character obtained the sum of $4,150 (Four Thousand One Hundred and Fifty US Dollars) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code, Law Laws of the Federation (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 324 of the same Laws”.

They all pleaded guilty to their respective charges.

Justice Adelaja convicted and sentenced Anekwu, to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of Two Million Naira. He is also to forfeit the sum of $4000 (Four Thousand Dollars), a Mercedes Benz CLA 250 car and phones to the Federal Government.

Eta bagged two years jail term or a fine of Two Million Naira. In addition, he is to forfeit $4150 (Four Thousand One Hundred and Fifty Dollars), mobile phones and a laptop computer to the Federal Government.

Ohue, Ocholi and Olatunji received one year jail term with an option of Five Hundred Thousand Naira fine, while Kolawole received a non-custodial sentence.

In a related development, Justice N.U. Sadiq of the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kaduna convicted and sentenced five people to various prison terms on charges of internet-related frauds brought against them by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the EFCC.

The convicts: Jonathan Oluwasegun, Joseph Maurice, Paul Odoh, Gideon Udochukwu, and Alexander Onyema were convicted after pleading guilty to the separate one count charges that bordered on cybercrime and cheating by impersonation.

The charges read: “that you, Jonathan Oluwasegun (aka Keanu Reeves), Male, sometime in May, 2023 in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed the offence of cheating by impersonation when you presented yourself to be one Keane Reeves (a Canadian Actor) on Instagram to Eleanor Lakin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.

“That you, Joseph Maurice, (aka Christos Ellis) sometime in March, 2023 at Unguwan Sunday axis of Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, falsely presented yourself as one Christos Ellis ( a white man) and in such assumed character cheated one Glory (a Pakistani) the sum of 35, 000 RPK and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.

“That you, Paul Odoh (aka Michele Morrone), Male, sometime in July, 2023 in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, falsely presented yourself as one Terrell Allen and in such assumed character, impersonated one Michele Morrone via Google chat (an online social media application) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.

“That you, Gideon Udochukwu (aka David Mark), Male, sometime in July 2023, at Unguwan Sunday, Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one David Mark (a Filipino ) on Instagram, in such assumed character cheated one Ms. Rachel(a Filipino ) the sum of $100USD and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 and punishable under Section 309 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.

“That you, Alexander Onyema (aka Anderson Williams David), sometime in July 2023, in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence to wit; cheating by impersonation where you falsely presented yourself as one Anderson Williams David on Facebook and in such assumed character cheated one Lynies Vilamore the total sum of P12,000(Twelve Thousand Philippine Peso) and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law”.

Following their ‘guilty’ plea, the prosecuting counsel, M.U Gadaka prayed the court to convict them accordingly.

Justice Sadiq, thereafter convicted and sentenced all the defendants to two years imprisonment with option of N150, 000 fine each.

Each of them was also ordered to forfeit the mobile device used in committing the crime to the Federal Government. While Oluwasegun, is to pay the sum of N350,000.00 as restitution to the victim. Maurice and Udochukwu are to forfeit the sum of 35,000 PKR (equivalent to $100 USD) and $60 USD respectively to the Federal Government.

The convicts were arrested in a sting operation at Unguwan Sunday in the Barnawa axis of Kaduna based on intelligence on their alleged internet-related fraud activities.

In Sokoto, Justice M.U Dogondaji of the Sokoto State High Court has convicted the duo of Sanni Dikko and Naabu Umar on two count charges bordering on conspiracy and cheating.

Dikko allegedly connived with Umar to fraudulently obtain the sum of N1, 500,000 from one Mustapha Mudashir in a land deal.

Investigation revealed that Dikko, having previously sold the plot of land to one Ashiru Muhammed, got Umar to present himself as the owner of the land to convince Mudashir to buy the property at the rate of N1.5m.

Mudashir was in the process of developing the property when he stopped by the actual owner.

Justice Dogondaji convicted and sentenced the defendants to five years imprisonment or a fine of N200, 000 each.

They were also ordered to pay N1, 500,000.00 as restitution to the victim through EFCC or risk a further five years in prison.