Uyo court sentences eight people for internet fraud

The Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and conviction of eight internet fraudsters before Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court, Calabar, Cross State River.

The convicts are: Abasiofon Daniel Essien (aka Jason Momoa), Gideon Junior, Edikan Ubong, Harrison Chiemelie, Ndifereke Umoh, Christopher Promise, Effiong Wisdom and Godswill Nsikan.

They were prosecuted on two separate charges that bordered on criminal impersonation, identity theft and obtaining by false pretense.

One of the charges against Essien read: “That you, Abasiofon Daniel Essien (aka Jason Momoa), in the year 2023, in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this court, intentionally took possession of $300, knowing that the money was part of the proceeds of the sale. an illegal act, namely: identity theft and has thereby committed an offense contrary to section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under of article 18 (3) of the same law.

They all pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them, following which the prosecution’s lawyer, Khamis Mahmud, presented their confessions and the incriminating contents of their mobile phones to the court as evidence and urged the court to release them. find them guilty and sentence them accordingly.

The judge found them guilty and sentenced them each to two years in prison. Umoh, Promise, Chiemelie and Nsikan were given the option to pay a fine of N2 million each. Junior, Essien and Ubong were given an option to fine N1.5 million, while Wisdom was given an option to fine N1,000,000.