Justice A.A. Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna, has convicted and sentenced three persons to various jail terms for internet-related fraud.
The convicts, Ogochukwu Mitchel Emmanuel Ijeh, Mohammed Kabir Bello and Sunday Simon were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count charges upon their arraignment by the Kaduna State Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
According to the charge sheet, Ijeh, in July 2023, reportedly falsely presented himself on Facebook as Dave Brandon, a medical doctor working at the United Nations Military Base, to Andrea Kadur and, in such an assumed character, claimed to be in a romantic relationship with her, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142(2) of the Kaduna State Law.”
In the case of Bello, he, in December 2023, fraudulently induced Rashida Salman to deliver to him goods worth the sum of N50,000 by sending her a fake bank transaction debit alert, thereby committing an offence of cheating, which is contrary to Section 306 (a) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 307 of the same law.
The third convict, Simon, was charged with impersonation in April 2023. He reportedly impersonated Ryan Eggold, an American actor, on Facebook and, in such an assumed character, cheated Garri Kalish, a citizen of the United States of America, of the sum of $800, when he claimed to be in a romantic relationship with her. His offence was contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the law.
All the convicts pleaded guilty to their charges when they were read to them.
Based on their pleas, prosecution counsel, K.S. Ogunlade, asked the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Thereafter, Justice Isiaka convicted and sentenced Ijeh, Simon and Bello to two years of imprisonment, respectively.
While Ijeh and Simon were given the option of a fine of N150,000, Bello was given the option of a fine of N200,000.
