Justice Tukur Muazu of the Kaduna State High Court on Monday, November 22, 2021, convicted and sentenced a fraudster, Gabriel Chimeze to ten and seven years imprisonment on separate charges of conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence.
According to a statement by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwajeren, Chimeze was first arraigned by the commission in July 2017 leading to his full trial that lasted 5 years.
The defendant had pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge.
Delivering the judgement on Monday, Justice Muazu found the defendant guilty on count one of conspiracy and acquitted him on count two and three.
The fraudster was sentenced to ten years imprisonment without option of fine. The sentence takes effect from 27th July 2017 when he was arraigned.
In the other charge, the convict was convicted on the one count of obtaining money by false pretense.
Justice Muazu consequently sentenced him to seven years in prison without an option of fine The convict was also ordered to restitute the victim a sum of N400,000 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira) only.
Similarly, the Benin Zonal Command of the EFCC on Monday secured the convictions of David Martins and Nobel Emmanuel on a one-count charge of fraudulent impersonation before Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City.
The two defendants were among 15 suspected internet fraudsters arrested in Auchi by the Commission through intelligence on their fraudulent activities.
The charge against Martins reads: “that you David Martins ( a.k.a John Trigg and James Maxwell) on or about the 3rd day of February 2021 at Kash Momudu Street, in Ekhei Girls Secondary School Road, Auchi, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently impersonated one John Trigg and James Maxwell, a military medical officer by using his gmail address [email protected] to obtain money to your advantage from one Kong Yee and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 48 Laws of Bendel State of Nigeria (As applicable in Edo State ) 1976 and punishable under same section”.
Upon arraignment, they pleaded guilty to their charge
In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Muhammad urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants.
Justice Ikponmwonba convicted and sentenced both Martins and Emmanuel to two years imprisonment with an option of N200, 000 as fine.
The judge also ordered that items recovered from them be forfeited to the Federal government of Nigeria.
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