EFCC secures jail of four Makurdi based internet fraudsters

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Makurdi Zonal Office on Friday, September 13, 2019, secured the conviction of one Charles Chijioke Iwu.

The commission also secured the conviction of Quarshie Fredrick Nnamdi; three months for internet fraud and Ademoyegun Dare Samson for offences bordering on Cyber crime.

The Commission on its verified facebook page said it arrested, investigated and taken Chijioke before Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Following a plea bargain agreement between him and the Commission, he was re-arraigned on a two-count amended charge that replaced the initial charge against him.

One of the Count reads: “That you, Charles Chijioke Iwu sometime in June, 2019 in Makurdi, Benue State within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court; had in your possession documents containing false pretence; to wit document labeled FBI scam, document of scanned FBI Logo, document of scanned US Naval Seal, document of scanned US Military Crest, document of scanned US Air Force Seal, document of scanned Philippine Passport; which documents you knew contained false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.

He pleaded “guilty” to the charge.

In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, G. G. Chia-Yakua, urged the Court to accept the plea bargain and convict him accordingly.

Justice Maha pronounced him guilty and subsequently convicted him to three month imprisonment, also to pay fine of N200,000 (Two hundred Thousand Naira), forfeit Fifty thousand naira (N50,000.00) found in his Access bank account and his laptop to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Similarly, the Commission, EFCC, Makurdi Zonal Office on Friday, 13 September, 2019 secured the conviction of one Quarshie Fredrick Nnamdi for Advanced Fee Fraud.

The Commission had arrested, investigated and taken Fredrick before Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Following a plea bargain agreement between him and the Commission, he was re-arraigned on a two-count amended charge that replaced the initial charge against him.

Count One reads: “That you Quarshie Fredrick Nnamdi sometime in June, 2019 in Makurdi, Benue State within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court; had in your possession documents containing false pretence; to wit document labeled “United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces date 13th March, 2019′ and purportedly signed by Lt. Gen. T. T. Luis Rodulf, U.S Army judge Fort Knox, KY which document you knew contained false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act”.

He pleaded “guilty” to the charge.

In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, G. G. Chia-Yakua, urged the Court to accept the plea bargain and convict him accordingly.

Justice Maha pronounced him guilty and subsequently convicted him to three months imprisonment, the court also ordered him to pay a fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) and forfeit his laptop and an iPhone to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Trouble was said to have started for Fredrick, when intelligence disclosed that some persons are into internet fraud where scam mails are sent to several unsuspecting victims through their email accounts and thereafter are defrauded of their hard earned money running into millions of naira.

Investigation disclosed that the convicts through various social media platforms defraud several victims of their money.

“The conviction of Samson who was arraigned on a two count charge followed a plea bargain agreement between him and the Commission.

“Count One reads: “That you Ademoyegun Dare Samson sometime between 2017 and 2019 in Makurdi, Benue State within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court aided one Adetunji Obasanmi Oluwatoba and one Joshua Ochofue Ada now at large on financial transactions to the tune of Two Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand Four Hundred and Fifty Naira (N247,450) and One hundred and Eighty Three Thousand Naira (N183,000) respectively, being funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity, thereby commited an offence contrary to Section 27 and punishable under the same section of Cybercrime (Prohibition, prevention etc) Act, 2015”.

“He pleaded “guilty” to the charge.

“In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, G. G. Chia-Yakua, urged the Court to accept the plea bargain and convict him accordingly.

“Justice Maha pronounced him guilty and subsequently convicted him to three month imprisonment, with option of fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) to be paid to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“The court also ordered the convict to sign an undertaking to be of good behaviour and never to be involved in any form of fraud within and outside the country, adding that failure to comply will attract judicial sanctions.

“The Court ordered him to be remanded in prison custody pending the payment of fine.”