No fewer than nine internet fraudsters have been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms in Awka, the capital of Anambra State.
This followed the successful prosecution by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which secured their conviction before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court sitting in Awka, on offences bordering on cybercrime.
The convicts are: Daniel Okechukwu Okoh, Onwe Chidera Solomon, Hyacinth Chinedu Ani, Malachy Makuochi Adonu, Udeh Collins Chidimma, Ukoro Victor Somto, Ezekiel Valentine Chidubem, Ugwuanyi Kingsley Chinwetalu, and Obi Ezeanyim Eric Ifesinachi.
According to the EFCC, Chidimma and Adonu were prosecuted on two-count separate charges, while the remaining convicts faced one-count separate charges, all related to identity theft and fraudulent impersonation.
The charge against Somto reads; “That you, Ukoro Victor Somto “Male” (21 years), sometime in 2025, in Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with fraudulent intent, did impersonate Carly Kuiken, A female foreigner and actress based in the United States of America, through a telegram account via your Samsung S10e, with intent to obtain money from unsuspecting nationals and in order to gain advantage for yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) and (iv) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 (as amended) and punishable under Section 22 (4) of the same Act”.
The charge against Okoh reads; “That you, Daniel Okechukwu Okoh, sometime in May, 2025 in Enugu, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, fraudulently impersonated by misrepresenting yourself in a fake Instagram account with the username Igorbest 2023, where you presented yourself as a Russian who lives in Australia while chatting with one Lubov Bustova, a Russian lady, through fake Instagram account by means of your infinix i40 with IMEI No352329941328186 phone, with the intent to gain advantage from unsuspecting foreign nationals and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015”.
They all pleaded “guilty” when their charges were read to them and in view of their pleas, counsel to the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Rotimi Ajobiewe prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
However, the defence counsel, B. C. Okeke, Wisdom Ogbonna, C. M. Okafor and James Nwatarali prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that the convicts were remorseful.
Justice Anyadike convicted and sentenced the convicts as follows to various jail terms; Ani, Chinwetalu and Solomon were sentenced to six months imprisonment each, with an option of fine of ₦50,000, while Adonu was sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of ₦200,000.
Okoh was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of ₦50,000 and was also given two weeks community service, while Chidimma was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with an option of fine of ₦100,000 on count 1 and 18 months imprisonment or a fine of ₦200,000 on count two.
Similarly, Somto bagged six months imprisonment with an option of fine of ₦200,000, while Ifesinachi was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of ₦100,000 fine and Chidubem bagged 18 months imprisonment with an option of ₦200,000 fine.
The judge also ordered Ani, Ezekiel, Collins and Okoh to forfeit their proceeds of crime which include phones and laptops to the Federal Government.
“The convicts were part of the 51 suspected internet fraudsters arrested on May 2, 2025 at Premier Layout, Enugu State, following actionable intelligence received, linking them to cybercrime activities,” the Commission noted.
In a related development, Justice Anyadike has remanded a man identified as Okafor Sunday Chikwado at the Nigeria Correctional Service in Awka for operating a Bureau De Change (BDC) business without a license from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Chikwado was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on operating a BDC business without a license, failure to make declarations in the Declaration of Asset Form and failure to comply with the lawful enquiry made by an authorised officer of the commission.
Count one of the charge against him reads; “That you Okafor Sunday Chikwado, trading under the name and style Asia Big Name Enterprise Heritage sometime in May 2025 at Onitsha, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, carried on business of other financial institution in Nigeria (Bureau De Change) without a license from the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 57 (1) of the Bank and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2010 and punishable under the same Section of the Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him. In view of his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Ajobiewe prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the correctional facility in Awka.
Consequently, Justice Anyadike adjourned the matter to July 15, 2025, for hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the facility in Awka.
