By Nkechi Eze
The Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City has convicted and sentenced three internet fraudsters to prison for their involvement in cybercrime. The convictsEfosa Richard, Victor Nwachukwu, and Ekaye Emaike were on Thursday, August 21, 2025, jailed by Justice M. Itsueli after pleading guilty to separate charges of advance fee fraud, obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime, and possession of fraudulent documents.
According to a statement signed by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the trio were prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). One of the charges against Richard read: “That you, EFOSA RICHARD (m), on or about the 1st of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did have in your iPhone 16, with IMEI Number 35776226117235, documents which you knew or ought to have known contain a false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The three defendants pleaded guilty to the charges, leading prosecution counsel, I.M. Elodi and K.Y. Bello, to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. Defence counsel, however, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stressing that the defendants had shown remorse.
In his ruling, Justice Itsueli convicted and sentenced each of them to two years imprisonment with an option of a N200,000 fine. He further ordered the forfeiture of their mobile phones, laptop computers, and funds found in their respective bank accounts to the Federal Government, being proceeds and instruments of their crimes.
The convicts also undertook in writing to be of good behaviour henceforth. Their conviction followed their arrest by operatives of the EFCC Benin Zonal Directorate, who acted on credible intelligence that exposed their involvement in fraudulent internet activities.
The EFCC said the judgment reinforces its determination to sustain the clampdown on internet fraudsters across the country.
