Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State has convicted and sentenced 10 internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
The Commission made this known in a statement shared on its Facebook page on Monday night.
They were prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Enugu zonal Directorate on separate charges, bordering on impersonation, possession of fraudulent documents and money laundering.
The convicts are Onyekwulu Lawrence Obiajulu, Onyedikachi Favour Eze, Olisa Philemon Olijo, Okafor Shedrack Chidindu, Ogbodo Chisom Ugochukwu, Nweke Godswill Chinemerem, Oseloka Ogo Patrick, Nnaji Pascal Chijioke, Chibueze Obumneme Frank-Gabriel and Ibekwe Jonathan.
The count charge read, “That you, Olisa Philemon Olijo sometime in 2025, at Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, directly retained the sum of N4,600,000 paid into your account number 5492732757 domiciled with Moniepoint Microfinance Bank which you reasonably ought to know forms part of the proceed of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (1) (2) (b) (d) (6) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act”.
They all pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to them.
In view of their pleas, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Michael Ikechukwu Ani reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered several documents and mobile phones which were admitted in evidence as exhibits. The prosecution thereafter prayed the court to convict and sentenced them accordingly.
However, defence counsel, James Nwatarali, Wisdom Ogbonna and Onyechi Obiechina prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convicts.
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Justice Anyadike thereafter convicted them and sentenced them as follows;
Eze, Chidindu, Ugochukwu, Chinemerem, Patrick, Chijioke, Frank-Gabriel and Jonathan were sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, with an option of fine of N150, 000 each. While Olijo bagged 40 months imprisonment with an option of fine of N250, 000.
Obiajulu was sentenced to 8 months imprisonment with an option of fine of N100, 000.
The court further ordered that Obiajulu restitute the sum of N2 million to the Treasury Single Account of the Federation and to participate in community service for two weeks which shall be supervised by the Deputy Registrar of the court.
Olijo was ordered to restitute the sum of N5, 749,044 to the Treasury Single Account of the Federation. “Failure to make the restitution, he shall serve a second prison term of two years”, the court said.
Chinemerem was ordered to restitute the sum of N700, 000 to the Treasury Single Account of the Federation.
The convict was also ordered to forfeit the sum of N29, 9 in his United Bank for Africa’s account number 2137892541, while Jonathan was ordered to restitute the sum of N397, 000 to the Treasury Single Account of the Federation.
The court thereafter ordered that items recovered during investigations which include their mobile phones, be auctioned by the Commission under the supervision of the Deputy Court Registrar , proceeds paid into the TSA and the receipts filed in court.
The convicts were part of the 51 suspected internet fraudsters arrested in May 2, 2025 at Premier Layout, Enugu State, following actionable intelligence received, linking them to cybercrime activities.
