The stringent efforts of Abuja Zonal Command of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ride off the Federal Capital Territory of internet fraudsters and their unlawful activities have led to the convictions of ten young men .
The anti-graft agency who arrested : Ulukpo Victor Obokparo, Osondu Stanley, Habib Iko-Ojo, Precious Ani, Emmanuel Philip Ikpan, Umar Farouk Mohammed, Israel Kue, Kingsley Mathew, Ibrahim Oyolade and Taiwo Samuel on the act had arraigned them before Justice Hamza Mu’azu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.
They were arraigned before the Court for various offences ranging from cheating, misrepresentation, romance scam, obtaining by false pretenses and defrauding foreigners via internet.
But surprisingly each of the suspects pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
One of the suspects, Ulukpo Victor Obokparo was said to have on June 25th, 2021 in Abuja represented himself as one Williams Brandon, an Engineer from New Jersey, USA through the means of an email address williambrandon309@gmail.com and induced the duo of Helen Isean and Ida Connor of USA to deliver to him the sum of $5000 .
By their pleas they committed an “offence of cheating contrary to the provisions of Section 320 (b) of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja), 1990 and punishable under Section 322 of the same Act”.
Following their guilty pleas, Justice Mu’azu sentenced them to various prison terms, ranging between 3 to 6 months, with option of fine of N20, 000 to N100,000.
The Court also ordered the forfeiture of proceeds and instrumentalities used in committing the crimes to the Federal Government.