Eric Patrick
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court, Enugu, has convicted and sentenced two internet fraudsters—Arinze Johnpaul Chukwudi and Ajah Damian Uchechukwu—to prison for cyber-related offences.
The duo were separately arraigned by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on one-count charges bordering on cybercrime, impersonation, and conspiracy to defraud.
In a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, the EFCC disclosed details of the convictions.
Fraudulent Identity Claims
The charge against Chukwudi read:
“That you, Arinze Johnpaul Chukwudi (26 years), sometime in 2024 in Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, fraudulently impersonated the identity of one JIMCHO MUN—a male foreigner and military personnel from South Korea who works as a nurse in Damascus, Syria, and resides in the United States—via a Facebook account on your Itel A662L, with intent to obtain money from one M. Irfan, an unsuspecting foreign national. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(3)(a)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and punishable under Section 22(4) of the same Act.”
Uchechukwu was charged alongside others for a 2017 offence:
“That you, Ajah Damian Uchechukwu (also known as Uchechukwu Damian Ajah, Uche Ajah, and Damian Uchechukwu Ajah), Obinna Iro Valentine (already convicted in the United States), Enuma George (at large), and Patrick Kelechi a.k.a. Pastor Kelechi, sometime in 2017 at Amakohia, Imo State, conspired with fraudulent intent to impersonate and obtain $10,452 USD from Ngan Nguyen, a U.S. citizen. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section.”
Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges. Prosecution counsel, ACE II Ajobiewe Rotimi Enitan, urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. Their defence counsel, Chijoke E., pleaded for leniency.
Justice Umar sentenced Chukwudi to 11 months in prison without the option of fine, while Uchechukwu received six months imprisonment and a fine of N500,000.
The duo, known for impersonating foreign nationals, were arrested on May 17, 2024.
EFCC Arraigns Three More for Cyber Offences
In a separate development, the EFCC arraigned Prince Odinaka Ogbu, Nwachukwu Chidalu Prosper, and Desmond Okoye Chidera before Justice Umar on various cybercrime charges.
Ogbu was charged with two counts of aiding cybercrime. One of the counts read:
“That you, Prince Odinaka Ogbu (34 years), sometime in 2024 in Enugu, aided Ledata Evans and others at large to commit a felony—to wit: unauthorized modification of computer systems and network data—and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(b) and punishable under Section 16(1) of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.”
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Prosper and Chidera were jointly charged for fraudulent access to private email credentials:
“That you, Nwachukwu Chidalu Prosper and Desmond Okoye Chidera, sometime in 2024 in Enugu, fraudulently accessed the email password of Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Ugochukwu Nwachukwu with intent to gain advantage, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(a) and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.”
Prosper pleaded guilty, while Ogbu and Chidera pleaded not guilty.
Prosecution counsel ASE I Anyanwu Somtochukwu requested immediate conviction of Prosper and a trial date for Chidera. Similarly, CSE Blessing Obasi sought a trial date for Ogbu.
Justice Umar adjourned:
Ogbu’s bail hearing to June 25, 2025
Prosper’s sentencing and Chidera’s bail hearing to May 21, 2025
He also ordered the remand of all defendants at the Enugu Correctional Centre pending further proceedings.
