A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has convicted and sentenced three internet fraudsters to different jail terms for offences bordering on criminal impersonation, internet fraud, and possession of fraudulent documents.
This is according to a statement by the Spokesperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Dele Oyewale on Monday.
According to the statement, the convicts – Abraham Itoro Sunday, Ezea Chidera Charles, and Udoh Christopher Gabriel were convicted by Justice Chigozie Sergius Onah upon their arraignment by the Uyo Zonal Command of EFCC, on one-count separate charge bordering on cybercrimes.
“That you Abraham Itoro Sunday ‘M’ sometime in 2023 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did fraudulently impersonate Brian O’ Noel on Facebook with the intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(I) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, prevention) Act 2015 and punishable under the same section,” the charge read.
They pleaded guilty to all the charges when they were read to them.
Based on their pleas, the Prosecution counsel – Enobong Ubokudom and Farida Bukar thereafter prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Onah convicted and sentenced Sunday and Charles to six months imprisonment each with an option of a fine of N200,000.00, while Gabriel bagged a five-month jail term with an option of a fine of N150,000.00.
The court also ordered that the three smartphones used by the convicts to perpetrate the crimes be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The statement noted that “the convicts started their journey to the Correctional Centre when they were arrested by operatives of the Uyo Zonal Command of the EFCC on November 22, 2023, at different locations in Afaha Atai, in Iko Eket Akwa Ibom State.
“Investigation showed that all the convicts impersonated foreigners by using their identities to defraud their victims. While Charles fraudulently portrayed himself as ‘Molina Urovsky’ on Facebook, Sunday portrayed himself as Brian O’niel and Gabriel presented himself as Alexander Douglas on Instagram.” Recall that in October 2023, a High Court in the state sentenced a medical doctor, Nwaopara Uche, to a two-year jail term for stealing hospital beds from Immanuel General Hospital and Immanuel Psychiatric Hospital, both in Eket Local Government Area of the state and converting them to his private clinic.
Uche was convicted along with 28-year-old Kubiat Isidore and Felix Ekwere, a 35-year-old security man, who conspired with him to steal the items at Immanuel General Hospital.
Ekwere was caught moving out some of the stolen hospital beds from the hospital at night.
