A Federal High Court in Enugu presided over by Justice I.N Buba on Monday convicted and sentenced two internet fraudsters, Ferdinand Iloka, and Chidera Oleka, to one year imprisonment each on separate one count bordering on internet fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Enugu Zone had arraigned the duo on allegations bothering on impersonation and internet fraud.
They were accused of using fake social media accounts to obtain money from unsuspecting foreign nationals during which Iloka presented himself as a Korean national, Bella Chung while Oleka posed as James Michael.
In one of the charges, Oleka sometime in September 2020 in Enugu, fraudulently presented himself as one James Michael, a citizen of United States of America.
He was said to have used a fake Instagram account with intent to obtain money from unsuspecting foreign nationals and, thereby, committed an offence contrary to Sect. 22 (3) (a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015.
The offense is said to be punishable under Sect. 22 (4) of the same Act.
When the separate charges were read, the defendants pleaded guilty.
Based on their pleas, the judge convicted and sentenced them to one year imprisonment with an option of N100, 000 fine each.
In a related development, Justice R. H, Dugbo-Oghoghorie of a Federal High Court in Enugu convicted and sentenced another internet fraudster, Chibuzo Awoh to one year in prison.
The convict was reportedly arrested at a hotel in G.R.A, Enugu following report of his alleged criminal activities.
According to the investigation, the defendant assumed the identity of a certain UK-based Michael using the telephone number: +1(972)914-0082 and TextNow and WhatsApp account of the same name.
Investigation revealed that he deployed the two social media platforms to chat and solicit for money from two foreigners, Mercy Ladrido, a Filipino-American and one Eleanor Woo.
Awoh pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against him following a plea bargain agreement with the commission.
The judge, thereafter, sentenced him to two years imprisonment with an option of N200, 000 fine.
