The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has secured the conviction of Miracle Osag (a.k.a Cynthiaray), Joshua Omotayo ( a.k.a Christopher Wittland), Victory James ( a.k.a Michael Lan Rosales), Yunus Abdulwasiu ( a.k.a Gloria Mathew) and Anita Yusuf before Justice N.U Sadiq of the Kaduna State High Court sitting for offences bordering on internet fraud and obstruction.
The anti-graft agency in a statement issued Thursday said they were arrested at different locations in Kaduna by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the commission based on intelligence indicating that they defrauded unsuspecting victims of their hard-earned money.
The charges read: “That you, Miracle Osag ( a.k.a Cynthiaray) sometime in July, 2023 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence to wit; cheating by impersonation wherein you falsely presented yourself as one Cynthiaray on Instagram, an online social media platform and in such assumed identity, cheated one John Morgan the total sum of $120 Dollars ( One Hundred and Twenty United States Dollars) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.
“That you, Yunus Abdulwasiu ( a.k.a Gloria Mathew) between January and April, 2023 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, obtained the total sum of $150 US dollars ( One Hundred and Fifty US Dollars ) from one Andrea Werner when you presented yourself as Gloria Mathew a white woman from Portland Oregon via Facebook ( a social media application) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law of 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law”.
The agency said they all pleaded guilty to the charges. Consequently, the prosecuting team led by M. Lawal urged the court to convict them accordingly.
Justice Sadiq convicted and sentenced James, Osag, and Omotayo to two years imprisonment or an option of N150,000 fine, while Abdulwasiu was sentenced to one year imprisonment without option of fine and Anita Yusuf was fined N20,000.
The defendants are to forfeit all the devices used in committing the offence to the Federal Government of Nigeria.