Justices A. Muazu and M.A Sambo of the Bauch State High Court sitting in Bauch have convicted and sentenced 17 internet fraudsters to different jail terms.
The convicts were jailed after pleading guilty to one–count separate charges upon their arraignment by the Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
They are: John Yakubu, Adams Ogbu Adai, Anthony Favour, Londima Donendung, Anthony Osai Samuel, John Jerry, Christianah Joseph, Adejumo Faruq, Emmanuel Shammah, Iliya Yakubu, Godfrey Fidelis Namzy, Danjuma Aklahel, Michael Monday Auta, Alphonsus Jeremiah, Banabas Emmanuel, Jerry Emeka and Solomon Monday.
The charge against Auta reads, “That you, Micheal Monday Auta sometimes between 2023 and 2024, at Bauchi, Bauchi State, within the Jurisdiction of this honorable court, attempted to cheat by personation by pretending to be one Adriana Maria and Nora Paslaru a foreigner who deals in cryptocurrency investment in order to introduce unsuspecting foreign nationals to deliver the monies to him, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code.”
They pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Based on their pleas, the judges convicted and offered them different sentences which are Donendung to six month imprisonment or an option of fine of N250,000; Shammah to eight months imprisonment without an option of fine; Yakubu to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N200,000; Namzy to six months imprisonment without an option of fine; Ogbu to two years imprisonment with an option of N250,000 as fine; Yakubu to eight years imprisonment with an option of fine of N500,000; Samuel to three years imprisonment or an option of N200,000 fine and he also forfeited two laptops, one iPhone X, MTN router and one headphone to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Other convicts are: Emeka sentenced to three years imprisonment or an option of N250,000 fine and he forfeited one BMW car to the government; Emmanuel to two years imprisonment or an option of N150,000 fine; Monday to four years imprisonment or N400,000 as option of fine; Ekond to six years imprisonment or N350,000 as fine; Danjuma to three months imprisonment with an option of N250,000 fine; Joseph to two years imprisonment or option of N400,000 fine; Auta to six months imprisonment without an option of fine; Adejumo Faruq to six months imprisonment without an option of fine; Anthony Favour to two years imprisonment with an option of N150,000 fine, and he also forfeited two Tecno phones used in committing the offence to the government; and Jeremiah to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.