Justices Aminu Garba and Aisha Ibrahim of the Federal High Court 1 and 2 sitting in Bauchi, Bauchi State have convicted and sentenced 17 internet fraudsters to various jail terms, even as Justice Ahmed Isa of the Adamawa State High Court sitting in Yola equally jailed another internet fraudster.
The anti-graft agency in a statement issued Tuesday said the convicts are: Fumi Joshua, Nathan Timothy Aruku, Femi Johnson Adelowo, Chimieze Alajemba, Jeremiah Pam Samuel, Emmanuel Shadrach, Ibrahim Yusuf, Shikaan Martin’s, Mishack Daniel, Jerry Moses, Joseph Yagat Baye, Emmanuel pontiff.
Others are: Godiya Simon, Noble Max, Perfect Nuhu and Agbande A. Bature, Fred Omale and Yasar Usman Hamman.
It added that the convicts were separately arraigned on a one-count separate charges of fraudulent personation by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Commission between November and December 2024
All the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to them in court, prompting the prosecution counsel, SM Aliyu, A. Aliyu and JD Tortema to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
However, counsels to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy stressing that they have become remorseful for their actions.
Justice Garba on December 11, 2024 convicted and sentenced Pontiff to seven months imprisonment with an option of N130,000 fine and Omale is to pay N170,000 in lieu of seven months jail term.
On December 10, 2024, the judge convicted and sentenced Joshua, Bayi and Daniel to seven months imprisonment or a fine of N170,000 each.
Yusuf and Samuel are to pay a fine of N100,000 each in lieu of seven months jail term and Moses, Shedrach and Martin’s were sentenced to seven months imprisonment with an option of fine of N130,000 each.
Meanwhile, Justice Aisha Ibrahim on December 10, 2024 convicted and sentenced Aruku, Adelewo, Alajemba and Pam to six months imprisonment or a fine N250,000 each.
Also, on November 28, 2024 the judge convicted and sentenced Simon, Max Bature and Nuhu to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N150,000 each.
The judges ordered the forfeiture of the convicts’ mobile phones recovered during investigation and being proceeds of crime to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began following their arrest by operatives of the Gombe Zonal directorate of the Commission based on actionable intelligence regarding their involvement in computer- related fraud.
In a related development, the Gombe Zonal Directorate of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of one internet fraudster, Yasar Usman Hamman before Justice Ahmed Isa of the High Court sitting in Yola, Adamawa State .
Hamman was arraigned on December 10, 2024 on a one-count charge of cheating by personation by Gombe Zonal Directorate .
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him, prompting prosecution counsel, Saad H.Saad to ask the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly. H
owever, counsel to the defendant pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Isa thereafter convicted and sentenced Hamman to ten years imprisonment with an option of fine of N200,000.
The court also ordered that the iPhone X used in the commission of the offence be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria
The convict’ s journey to Correctional Centre began sometimes in September 2024 when the Commission received an intelligence alleging that some syndicate of cyber- related fraudsters between the ages of 18-30 years residing in Sangere area of Madibbo , Yola , Adamawa State were defrauding innocent victims.
Hamman was thereafter arrested, prosecuted and convicted.