Court in benin sentenced 15 online scammers to jail, For internet fraud and acquiring under false pretenses, Justice M. Itsueli of the Edo State High Court Sitting in Benin City found and sentenced 15 (fifteen) fraudsters to prison.
Seth Chukwumah, Hart James Okoh, Berta Aghogho Akpoveta, Obinna Okoh Patrick, Ugwoke Chinecherem Johnson, and Akpovona-Momoh Malcolm Oghenekome are the indicted individuals.
Others include Jeffrey Nwose, Louis Victory Emuerhime, Isoso Precious, Tsebi Princewill, Dafinone Osuma, and Oyinkepreye Anderson. Frank Efe Okeoghene, Okpidi Oghenerukevwe, and Prince Tamunotonye Obinna are also included.
The Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC, arraigned the defendants on separate counts of false representation and unlawful possession of false papers.
Others were arraigned on September 11 and September 13, 2023, while Chukwumah, Okoh, Patrick, and Akpoveta were arraigned on September 12.
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The charge that you, Tsebi Princewill, occasionally between 2022 and 2023 in Benin City, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did with intent to defraud represent yourself as Tony Richards, a white man, and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 48, Laws of Bendel State (as applicable in Edo State) 1976, reads in part: “that you, Tsebi Princewill.
All of the defendants admitted guilt to their accusations upon being arraigned, which prompted the prosecution’s attorneys, F.A. Jirbo, I.M. Elodi, Ibrahim Faisal, Salihu Ahmed, and T.Y. Bello, to ask the court to find them guilty and punish them appropriately. However, the defendants’ attorney begged the judge to balance justice with mercy.
Johnson and Obinna were found guilty and given six months in prison or a fine of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) each by Justice Itsueli.
Chukwumah received a two-year sentence with the possibility of a N500,000 fine.
Osuma and Anderson were found guilty and given sentences of two years in prison or a N300,000 ($3,000) fine apiece. Except for Okeoghene, who received a sentence of three years in jail or a fine of N1,000,000 (one million naira only), the following individuals received sentences of three years in prison or a fine of N500, 000: Okoh, Akpoveta, Patrick, Oghenekome, Oghenerukevwe, Emuerhime, Precious, Nwose, and Princewill.
The defendants were sentenced to forfeit one blue Lexus RX 350, one Mercedes Benz GLK 430, one Red Mercedes Benz GLK, one Black Lexus NX 300, one Silver Lexus RX 350 2011 model, as well as mobile phones and laptops that were used as part of their criminal enterprises to the Federal Government of Nigeria via the EFCC.
In addition, the judge ordered that the money found in the convicts’ bank accounts at Keystone Bank, UBA, GT Bank, Zenith Bank, Unity Bank, Opay Digital Services Limited, Fair Money Microfinance Bank, and Rolez Microfinance Bank, which were used to receive proceeds of crime, be permanently frozen.
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