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Tag: EFCC

  • Benin Court Sentences 25 Internet Fraudsters to Jail

    Benin Court Sentences 25 Internet Fraudsters to Jail

    Benin Court Sentences 25 Internet Fraudsters to Jail

    The duo of Justice Efe Ikponmwonba and M. Ituseli of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City have convicted and sentenced twenty-five (25) internet fraudsters for various jail terms.

    According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the individuals involved were sentenced on Wednesday, 20 and Thursday, March 21, 2024 respectively.

    The convicts include Joshua Osarumwense, Oziegbe Courage, Michael Osawowamen Enofe, Precious Ezomo, Favour Ezomo, Adetokunbor Oghamomwan, Amaize Victor Ohimah, Destiny Okpala, Emmanuel Benjamin and Williams Chinedu Onyeji.

    Others are Michael Ugochukwu Davidson, Favour Victor, Aigbadon Nathaniel, Owas Palmer, Kelvin Aghator, Samuel Endurance, Emmanuel Ogiehor and Oseni Usman.

    Success Bashorun, Hassan Usman, Omoruyi Stanley, Omoruyi Osasu, Festus David Ofuomadega, Omokaro Junior Aisosa and Okolo Oghenenyerhovwo make up the rest of the convicts.

    The law enforcement agency stated that they were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges bordering on possession of fraudulent documents upon arraignment by the Benin Zonal Command of the Commission.

    “That you Favour Ezomo (m) on or about 14th March, 2024 in Benin City, Edo State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did have in your possession documents which you knew or ought to have known contain a false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.2006 and punishable under section 1(3)of same Act,” the charge against Favour Ezomo reads as revealed by EFCC.

    Benin Court Sentences 25 Internet Fraudsters to Jail

    The Commission also disclosed that all the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to them, prompting prosecution counsel, F. Jirbo, I.K Agwai, A. A. Ibrahim and Salihu Ahmed to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

    It was also revealed that the counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, claiming that they have become remorseful for their actions.

    The trio of Oziegbe, Stanley and Davidson bagged three years imprisonment or a fine of ₦200,000.00 (two hundred thousand naira) each, while the duo of Ofuomadega and Oghenenyerhovwo got two years imprisonment or a fine of ₦200,000 (two hundred thousand naira) each.

    Similarly, the other twenty (20) individuals were sentenced to three years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000.00 (one hundred thousand naira) each.

    The judges ordered that the convicts forfeit their phones, balances in their various bank accounts being instruments and proceeds of crime and a Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 recovered from Ezomo to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    All the convicts were also asked to undertake in writing to be of good behaviour afterwards.

    The convicts’ road to the correctional centre began following their arrest by operatives of the Benin Zonal Command of the Commission based on actionable intelligence regarding their involvement in computer-related fraud.

  • Mambilla Power Plant: EFCC Arraigns Olu Agunloye for $6bn Fraud

    Mambilla Power Plant: EFCC Arraigns Olu Agunloye for $6bn Fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 arraigned a former Minister of Power and Steel Development, Olu Agunloye before Justice J.O Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Apo, Abuja.

    He was arraigned on seven count charges bordering on fraudulent award of contract and official corruption.

    One of the count reads: “That you, Olu Agunloye, whilst being the Minister of Power and Steel on or about the 22nd of May, 2003 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court awarded a contract, titled  “Construction of 3,960mw Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station on a Build, Operate and Transfer Basis” to Sunrise Power and Transmission  Company Limited without any budgetary provision, approval and cash  backing and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable  under Section 22(4) of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

    Another count reads: “That you, Olu Agunloye, on or about the 10th of August, 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, corruptly received the sum of Three Million Six Hundred Thousand Naira (N3,600,000.00) through your Guaranty Trust Bank account no.0022530926 from Sunrise Power and  Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL) and Leno Adesanya for having  conveyed the “approval of the Government of the Federal Republic of  Nigeria for the construction of the 3,960 megawatts Mambilla  Hydroelectric Power Station” in favour of SPTCL which you did whilst  serving as the Minister of Power and Steel without the approval of the  Federal Executive Council contrary to and punishable under Section 8(1)(a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

    He pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to them.

    Thereafter, prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the defendant in a Correctional Centre. Defence counsel,  Adola Adedipe, SAN, informed the court that he has filed a bail application for the defendant and prayed the court to grant him bail and commit him to the custody of the EFCC.

    Justice Onwuegbuzie ruled that the defendant be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre and  set Thursday, January 11, 2024 for hearing on the bail application.