Six jailed for internet fraud in Kaduna

2 days ago

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By John Ogunsemore, Lagos

Justices Darius Khobo and A.A. Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court and Hawau Buhari of the Federal High Court, Kaduna have convicted and sentenced Abubakar Shettima (a.k.a Dennis Hueber), Timileyin Akinsola (a.k.a James Smith), Favour Onoja (a.k.a Dean Leon), Naphtali Bako (a.k.a Benjah), Suleiman Ibrahim (a.k.aRico_Mod2) and Festus Gabriel (a.k.a Sandra Will) to various jail terms for internet fraud.

The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuted the six convicts on separate one-count charges bordering on cheating and impersonation.

Akinsola’s charge reads: “That you Timileyin Akinsola (a.k.a James Smith), male between January and May, 2024 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, impersonated one James Smith, a United States of America citizen on Instagram (an online social media application) and in such assumed character cheated one Larry Fletcher of the sum of One Hundred and Twenty Five United States Dollars ($125USD) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”

The count against Bako reads: “That you Naphtali Bako (a.k.a Benjah), sometime in April 2024 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, represented yourself as one Benjah ( a musician from United States of America) on Facebook ( a social media platform) and in such assumed Identity cheated one Alois Whitfield the total sum of N60,000 (Sixty Thousand Naira), only 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.”

All the convicts pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, Kehinde Ogunlade, Musa Usman Gadaka and Kehinde Ogunlade to urge the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Justice Khobo convicted and sentenced Shettima to three years imprisonment or a fine of N400,000, and sentenced Timileyin to five years imprisonment or a fine of N450,000.

Justice Isiaka convicted and sentenced Onoja to five years imprisonment or a fine of N 400,000, while he handed seven years imprisonment to Bako or a fine of N400,000.

Ibrahim and Gabriel were convicted and sentenced by Justice Buhari to 14 and four years imprisonment respectively.

Ibrahim is to pay a fine of N 300,000, while Gabriel was given N500,000 option of fine.

The courts also ordered the convicts to forfeit their communication gadgets, being the tools of their crimes, to the Federal Government.