By Nkechi Eze
The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has secured the conviction and sentence of 32 internet fraudsters before Justices A.N. Erhabor and W. I. Aziegbemhin of Edo State High Courts, sitting in Benin City.
The commission’s spokesperson Dele Oyewale in an official signed statement disclosed that the convicts are: Amos Adievugwhare, Kelvin Osakpamwan, Isaac Kelvin, Obanuso Elliot, Ndubisi Emmanuel, Danjuma Godwin, Abraham Abisere, Enang Shedrack, Wiliki Bright, David Dagul, Imooa Michael, Targema Solomon, Henry Davou, Akinluyi Ayoola Cornelinus, Ifeanyi Nelson Pius and Torkula Henry Luper.
Others are: Yahaya Jibrin, Monday Atekha Destiny, Sodiq Ahmad, Anthony Gabriel Onuche, Anyaler Udoka, Seun Ibeg, Dallah Osikadi, Ediwin Asemota, Igbo Aondona, Iyobosa Okoro, Osayande Bright, Isiguzo Chidi Morris, Kadiri Bobby Abdul, Osazee Marvins Osabuohein, Efosa Destiny Omorosa, Kelvin Adams Aisosa.
They were prosecuted on separate one-count charge, bordering on obtaining by false pretence, advance fee fraud, retention of proceeds of crime and possession of fraudulent documents.
The charge against Adievugwhare reads: “That you Amos Adievugwhare (m) on or about the 15th of April, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession, documents which you knew or ought to have known contained false pretence, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
All the defendants pleaded “guilty” to their charge when they were read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel, I.M Elodi, I.K Agwai, K.Y Bello, Ibrahim Al-Amin, Salihu Ahmed, Bala Rabah and Faisal Ibrahim to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they have become remorseful for their actions.
Justice Erhabor convicted and sentenced Adievugwhare, Elliot, Emmanuel, Godwin, Abisere, Shedrack, Bright, Dagul, Michael, Solomon, Davou, Cornelinus, Pius, Luper, Jibrin, Destiny, Ahmad, Onuche, Udoka, Ibeg, Osikadi, Aondona, Okoro, Bright, Morris, Abdul, Asemota and Aisosa to two years imprisonment, each or to pay N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, respectively while Osabuohein was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N500,000 ( Five Hundred Thousand Naira).
Justice W.I. Aziegbemhin convicted and sentenced the duo of Kelvin and Osakpamwan to two years imprisonment, each or to pay N300 and N400, 000 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira) fine,respectively, while Omorosa bagged two years imprisonment or to pay N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine.
In addition to their sentences, all the convicts forfeited their phones and computers, being tools of their crime and money found in their respective bank accounts, being proceeds of their crime, respectively to the federal government and undertook in writing to be of good behaviour henceforth.
The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began with their arrest by officers of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC following credible intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities.
