Internet Fraudsters: Court Convicts Maiku, Yomi

Internet Fraudsters: Court Convicts Maiku, Yomi

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan zonal office, has secured the conviction of two persons earlier arrested for internet fraud. The duo of Maiku Abdulakeem and Yomi Samson were convicted and sentenced to different jail terms on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 by judges of the Federal High Court, Ibadan Division.

Abdulakeem bagged three months jail after Justice P. I Ajoku declared him guilty of a one-count amended charge of criminal impersonation preferred against him by the EFCC.

The convict, through his lawyer, had earlier approached the Commission for a plea bargain agreement on terms that he would plead guilty to the charge and be sentenced to three months in prison.

The terms also included that Abdulakeem returns to his victim the sum of $200 (Two Hundred United States of American Dollars) and also forfeit his Techno phone to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

After pleading guilty to the amended charge, prosecution counsel, Mabas Mabur, urged the court to convict Abdulakeem accordingly.

The Commission’s prayer was granted as the court jailed Abdulakeem, declaring that the sentencing takes effect from March 8, 2019 when he was initially arrested by the Commission.

But Samson was not as lucky as Justice Joyce Malik sent him to jail for eight months.

He was also found guilty of criminal impersonation, the one-count amended charge for which he was arraigned after a plea bargain agreement with the Commission.

The amended charge stated that Samson (a.k.a Becky Wellington, a.k.a Amanda Lucero) ‘sometime in 2019 in Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, Fraudulently impersonated by representing yourself to be Beck Wellington, via Facebook Account to one Chris and thereby committed an offence Contrary to Section 22 (2) and punishable under section 22(2)(b)(iv) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act,2015.

The court also ordered that he restitutes a sum of N48,000 (Forty-Eight Thousand Naira) only, being benefit he derived from his fraudulent act and forfeit his Tecno Spark handset to the Federal government of Nigeria.

Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
May 7, 2019