EFCC Secures Massive Convictions of Fraudsters, Cyber-Criminal, Scammers

EFCC Secures Massive Convictions of Fraudsters, Cyber-Criminal, Scammers

PTDF Scammer Bags Ten Years Imprisonment for Fraud
…Another for Internet Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Sokoto Zonal Office on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 secured the conviction of one Mobuse John, before Hon. Justice M S. Sifawa, Chief Judge of the Sokoto State High court sitting in Sokoto, on a one-count charge bordering on Cheating.

The one-count charge reads; “That you Mobuse John, sometime in October, 2019 at Sokoto within the judicial division of the High Court of Justice of Sokoto State, committed an offence to wit: Cheating by fraudulently inducing one Usman Ibn Umar to deliver to you the sum of N2,000.00 for PTDF scholarship, past question papers and aptitude test for undergraduate and post-graduate awards in Nigeria Collages of Education, Polytechnics and Universities for 2019/2020 Academic season via a website: http:11 www,pdfscholarship.eu and other members of the public and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 310 (a) of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law 2019 and punishable under Section 311 of the same Law”.

Upon arraignment, John pleaded guilty to the charge.

In view of Defendant’s plea, the prosecution counsel, S. H. Sa’ad asked the court to convict and sentence the defendant in line with the provision of the law and prayed the court to close the website as well as the account used in committing the offence.

However, defence counsel, Shamsu A. Dauda, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as his client was a first-time offender who has become remorseful. He also told the court that the convict has fully restituted the victim.

Justice Sifawa, thereafter convicted and sentenced the defendant to Ten (10) years imprisonment with an option of fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200, 000.00).

He further ordered the account and website of the convict to be closed.

The convict’s journey to prison started on the 29th of August, 2019 when he was arrested in Warri, Delta State. He was alleged to have defrauded his victims with a fraudulent online PTDF Scholarship for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Awards in Nigeria Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and universities for 2019/2020 Academic Session.

Upon his arrest, John admitted to receiving over N1, 500,000 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) from unsuspecting victims across the country using one Martha Okotie’s account as a conduit for receiving the monies.

In a related development, Justice Sifawa convicted and sentenced one Etsano Amatu to Seven years in prison with an option of fine in the sum of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000.00).

Amatu was arraigned on a one count charge of Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to Section 300 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law and punishable under Section 301 of the same law.

Upon arraignment, Amatu pleaded guilty to the charge.

In view of defendant’s plea, the prosecution counsel, S. H. Sa’ad asked the court to convict and sentence the defendant in line with the Penal Code Law of Sokoto State.

Defence counsel, Dauda, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as his client was a student and a first-time offender who has become remorseful. He also told the court that the defendant has fully restituted the victim in the sum of N45, 000.00

Justice Sifawa, thereafter convicted and sentenced the defendant to seven years imprisonment with an option of fine of N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira)

His journey to the Correctional Centre started when the EFCC received a petition against him alleging cheating to the tune of N45,000.00 (Forty Five Thousand Naira).

Amatu was arrested in Sapele, Delta state for fraudulently collecting the sum of N45, 000.00 from one Dalhatu Ladan with the guise of selling him an Apple Laptop.

The complainant alleged that since after paying the said sum to the account provided to him, neither was the laptop delivered nor his funds refunded.

In the course of investigation, the suspect confessed that he had no laptop for sale and that he only duped the complainant.

The sum of N45,000.00 (Forty-Five Thousand Naira) has been recovered from the suspect.

Tony Orilade
Acting Head, Media & Publicity
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EFCC Gets Conviction for Cyber-crime

The Kaduna zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today, March 25, 2020 secured the conviction of one Robert Sunday Olaoluwa who was convicted and sentenced by Justice Z.B Abubakar of the Federal High Court, sitting in Kaduna State on a one count charge bordering on Cybercrime.

His sojourn to jail began sometime on February 28, 2020, when he was arrested based on intelligence received by the Intelligence and Special Operations Section, ISOS, of the Zonal Office which showed that he had been defrauding unsuspecting members of the public, mainly job seekers, by using several identities with different email addresses posing as foreigners.

Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Robert Sunday Olaoluwa ‘M’ sometime in February, 2020 in Kaduna within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable court fraudulently impersonates one Anthony Newton and you claimed to be one of the Human Resources Managers at TTEC with intent to gain advantage for yourself and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 22(2) (b) of Cyber-crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.

He consequently pleaded not guilty to the one count charge and the prosecution counsel led by Deborah Adamu-Eteh, urged the court to convict the accused accordingly.

Justice Abubakar, accordingly sentenced and convicted the accused person to one-year imprisonment with an option of N300, 000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira). He is also to forfeit his Dell laptop worth N60,000 (Sixty Thousand Naira) and an iphone 8plus worth N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) being the instruments used in perpetrating the crime to the Federal Government.

It would be recalled that on February 29, 2020, operatives of the zonal office arrested the suspect amongst others and whilst being interviewed confessed to the crime of using different identities to defraud job seekers.

Tony Orilade
Acting Head, Media & Publicity
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Court Convicts Six Internet Fraudsters in Lagos

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on March 23, 2020 secured the conviction of Osibajo Oluwamuyiwa, Jimoh Damilola Qudus and Salaudeen Ismail for offences bordering on internet fraud.

They were arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos. Osibajo and Salaudeen were arraigned on a separate three-count charge, while Jimoh was arraigned on a seperate one-count charge all for being in “possession of fraudulent documents.”

One of the charges reads: “That you, Osibajo David Oluwamuyiwa (aka Michael Morris) on or about 11th day of February, 2020 in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud had in your possession a document with email address [email protected] wherein you represented yourself as a female with name as Michael Morris, and sent messages online to unsuspecting persons desirous of having a female friend, which documents you knew or ought to have known having regard to the circumstances of the case, contains false pretence.”

They pleaded “guilty” to the charges preferred against them by the EFCC.

Upon their plea, counsel for the EFCC, Ahmed Yerima reviewed the facts of the cases.

Yerima told the court that the convicts were arrested following an intelligence report about their fraudulent activities.

He told the court to convict and sentence the defendants as charged by the EFCC.

Justice Taiwo, convicted as charged and sentenced them to six months imprisonment each.

She, however, gave an “option of fine” of N300,000 each to Osibajo and Salaudeen, while N100,000 fine was given to Qudus.

In a related development, Justice Sherifat Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos also convicted three internet fraudsters: Olalekan Yusuf Oyebanji, Tabiti Emmanuel and David Emmanuel.

Two of the convicts were arraigned separately on a two-count charge, while David was arraigned separately on a one-count charge.

The charge against David reads: “That you, David Emmanuel on or about the 8th day of March 2020, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud had in your possession document titled “Google Account” which representations you knew or ought to have known to be false.”

A charge against Tabiti reads: “That you, Tabiti Bolarinwa Emmanuel on or about the 8th day of March, 2020 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud had in your possession document titled “Gmail-fwd; Lotto format from start boy” which representations you knew or ought to have known to be false.”

They pleaded “guilty” to the charges preferred against them.

Upon the plea, counsels for the EFCC, Abbas Mohammad and Samuel Daji urged the court to allow them review the facts of the case.

However, Justice Solebo adjourned David’s matter until May 19, 2020 for review of facts of the case, while Olalekan’s matter was adjourned until May 20, 2020 for review of facts. Also, Tabiti’s matter was adjourned until May 18, 2020 for review of facts of the case.

They are therefore, to be sentenced at a later date.

Tony Orilade
Acting Head, Media & Publicity
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EFCC Secures Conviction of Internet Fraudster

Justice Z.B. Abubakar of the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna Wednesday, March 25, 2020 convicted and sentenced one internet fraudster, Obi Sobenna Jude, who was prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Jude pleaded guilty to the one count amended charge bordering on computer related fraud and Obtaining Money by False Pretences following a guilty plea.

His trouble began when on February 29, 2020 the intelligence and Special Operation Section, ISOS, of the zone acted on an intelligence which indicated that the convict has been defrauding unsuspecting members of the public mainly job seekers using different email addresses.

He was arrested at the New GRA, Bayan Gida Yerima Gyade, in Bauchi state where operatives of the zonal office of the Commission.

Count one reads: “That you Obi Sobenna Jude sometime in February 2020 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one Alex Miller whom you claimed to be an Interview Manager at Teletec also known as TTEC with intent to gain advantage for yourself, obtained the sum of $70 (Seventy US Dollars) via an iTunes Gift Card from Rebouche of the United States of America and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (2)(b) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the one count charge when it was read to him.

Upon his guilty plea, counsel to the EFCC, P.C Onyeneho, urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly, But A.A. Mohammed, counsel to the defendant, prayed the Court to temper justice with mercy as his client was a first-time offender.

Justice Abubakar, in her ruling convicted Sobenna to one-year imprisonment with an option of a fine of N300,000, the judge also ordered the convict to forfeit his HP Laptop worth N230,000 and one Samsung S8 worth N110,000 to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Tony Orilade
Acting Head, Media & Publicity