Five internet fraudsters were convicted and sentenced to various prison terms on Monday by Justice Rosemary Dugbo-Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State.
The convicts — Michael Aregbesola (a.k.a Amin Deera), Adeleke Toba Richard (alias Jason Avtandil), Mkpoikanke Emmanuel Udoh (alias Tom Jones), Gideon Mishell Effiong (alias Gianluca Jinoble) and Momodu John Modupe (alias George Woods) — were charged to court by the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for criminal impersonation, fraudulent messaging and money laundering.
The EFCC announced the convictions in a statement on Wednesday.
One of the charges read: “That you, Adeleke Toba RIchard (Alias J AVTANDIL), on or February, 2024 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently took possession of the sum of Five Hundred US Dollars ($500), being property of Ms Bella, a United State woman, which you reasonably ought to have known that it was a proceed of unlawful act to wit; impersonation and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.”
On Effiong, the charge read: “That you Gideonn Mishell Effiong (a.k.a Gianluca Jinoble) sometime in September, 2024 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court did take possession of the sum of Five Hundred Euros (500 Euros) which you reasonably ought to have known forms proceed of an unlawful act to wit: Cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2Xd) of the Money laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
While Effiong and Richard each pleaded guilty to the two-count charges preferred against them, Aregbesola, Udoh and Modupe also pleaded guilty to the one-count charge levelled against them by the EFCC.
In view of their guilty pleas, prosecution counsel, Kharmis Mahmud, urged the court to convict the defendants and sentence them accordingly.
While reviewing the facts of the case, Mahmud tendered as exhibits, which the court admitted in evidence, the defendants’ statements and fraudulent documents printed from their various gadgets.
The defence team of Francis Ezeike, Samson Awuje and Emmanuel Sabe did not oppose the prosecution.
Justice Dugbo-Oghoghorie then convicted the defendants and sentenced them as follows: Effiong got four years in prison on each of the two counts, with an option of fine of €2,500 and restitution of €500 to his victim; Richard was given seven years on each count with the option to pay a fine of $2,500 and restitution of $500 to his victim. The jail terms are to run concurrently.
Also, the court convicted and sentenced Aregbesola and Udoh to seven years prison term each or to pay the sum of N5 million each as option of fine, while Modupe bagged four years in jail with a fine option of N5 million.
The convicts were investigated by the Uyo Directorate of the EFCC for their suspicious online presence and lifestyle. They were eventually charged to court and convicted.
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