The Federal High Court and State High Court sitting in Kaduna have convicted and sentenced four individuals, Anthony Chukwu, Madaki Ismail, Samson Aliyu, and Christopher Israel to various jail terms for internet fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission made the disclosure in a statement received by PUNCH on Wednesday.
According to the EFCC Kaduna Zonal Command, they were charged with impersonation, obtaining by pretence, and money laundering on one count each.
According to the statement, the defendants were found guilty of violating Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention And Prohibition)2022 and Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code legislation 2017 and were punished under Section 309 of the same legislation.
Chukwu’s charge reads, “That you, Anthony Chukwu (a.k.a Carmelita Luna), sometime in December 2023, in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, directly acquired the sum of N520,000.00 from Nelro Balmoria and other unsuspecting persons through false identity, which you knew that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, and you thereby committed money laundering, an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention And Prohibition)2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
That of Aliyu reads, “That you Samson Aliyu (a.k.a John Dunwell), between January and May 2024 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence, by falsely presenting yourself as John Dunwell, a white man and an investment broker with AZ Finance Investment Company. In that assumed character cheated several persons including one Lhes, the total sum of P2,000.00 Philippines pesos via Instagram 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.”
They pleaded guilty to the accusations stated to them, and prosecution counsel Matiyak and Argungu urged the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
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The presiding judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Aikawa, convicted and sentenced Chukwu to five years in jail or a fine of N300,000.00, while Ismail received five years in prison or a fine of N500,000.00.
Furthermore, it was stated that both convicts forfeited the sums of N520,000.00 and $310, respectively, as proceeds of their crimes to the federal government, as well as an iPhone XR and a Samsung S21 mobile phone, which were used in their crimes.
Justice Darius Khobo of the State High Court found Aliyu guilty and sentenced him to three years in prison or a fine of N200,000, while Israel was sentenced to three years in prison or a fine of N250,000.00.
In addition, Aliyu forfeited $50, being the proceeds of his crime to the federal government, while both forfeited their phones, being instruments of their crimes to the federal government.
It was alleged that in response to reliable information about their fraudulent online operations, Chukwu, Aliyu, and Israel were detained in Kaduna, while Ismail was detained in Jos.
