Justice Rosemary Dugbo-Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday, November 18, 2024, convicted and sentenced five internet fraudsters to varying jail terms.
The convicts, identified as Michael Aregbesola (alias Amin Deera), Adeleke Toba Richard (alias Jason Avtandil), Mkpoikanke Emmanuel Udoh (alias Tom Jones), Gideon Mishell Effiong (alias Gianluca Jinoble), and Momodu John Modupe (alias George Woods), were prosecuted by the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for offences including criminal impersonation, fraudulent messaging, and money laundering.
One of the charges against Adeleke Toba Richard read: “That you, Adeleke Toba Richard (Alias J AVTANDIL), on or about February 2024 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently took possession of the sum of Five Hundred US Dollars ($500), being property of Ms Bella, a United States woman, which you reasonably ought to have known was a proceed of unlawful act to wit; Impersonation, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.”
Another count against Gideon Mishell Effiong stated: “That you, Gideon Mishell Effiong (a.k.a Gianluca Jinoble), sometime in September 2024 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did take possession of the sum of Five Hundred Euros (500 Euros), which you reasonably ought to have known formed proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: Cybercrime, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.”
All five defendants pleaded guilty to the charges against them. Effiong and Richard faced two-count charges each, while Aregbesola, Udoh, and Modupe faced one-count charges. Prosecution counsel Kharmis Mahmud tendered evidence including the defendants’ statements and fraudulent documents recovered from their devices, which were admitted by the court. Defence counsels Francis Ezeike, Samson Awuje, and Emmanuel Sabe did not oppose the prosecution.
Justice Dugbo-Oghoghorie sentenced Effiong to four years on each count, with an option of a €2,500 fine and restitution of €500 to his victim. Richard received seven years on each count, with an option of a $2,500 fine and restitution of $500 to his victim. Both sentences are to run concurrently. Aregbesola and Udoh were sentenced to seven years each or a fine of N5,000,000, while Modupe received four years with a fine option of N5,000,000.
The convicts were initially investigated by the EFCC’s Uyo Zonal Directorate following suspicions about their online activities and extravagant lifestyles. Their prosecution and sentencing reaffirm the EFCC’s commitment to tackling cybercrime.
