Matilda Omonaiye/
Six internet fraudsters have been asked to pay fines and refund stolen money or spend various terms in jail.
Justice M. S. Sifawa of the Sokoto State High Court convicted and sentenced the internet fraudsters to prison on September 29, 2020.
The fraudsters who were prosecuted on one-count separate charges of conspiracy and cheating by the Sokoto Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) included: Henry Chukwuma Uche (a.k.a Andrew Tucker James), Okereke Ifeanyi Daniel, Iyiola Elvis Azuka, Onyeiwu Stanley Chibuike (a.k.a Jonathan Stavidris), Nwanaforo Wilfred Chukwuka (a.k.a Manfred) and Nwanaforo Chibuike Shedrack.
One of the charges reads, “That you Henry Chukwuma Uche (a.k.a Andrew Tucker James), a Nigerian national, sometime between 2018 to 2020 at Sokoto, within the jurisdiction of the Sokoto State High Court, dishonestly represented yourself to one Carle Margarida Brito Santos, a foreign national, resident in Portugal, to be one Andrew Tucker James of the United States of America Marines, deployed to Afghanistan and in that, induced her in love scam to pay you the sum of €3,934 through your Access Bank Dollar account and the sum of $17,691.25 through your Polaris Bank Dollar account and thereby committed the offence of cheating, contrary to Section 310 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law 2019 and punishable under Section 311 of the same Law.”
They all pleaded guilty to the charges, following which prosecution team, comprising S. H. Sa’ad, Musa Mela Gwani and Habila Jonathan asked the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while defence counsel, Shamsu A. Dauda, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as his clients have become remorseful.
Justice Sifawa convicted and sentenced Uche (a.k.a Andrew Tucker James) to 10 years imprisonment with N1,000,000 option of fine. He is also to restitute the sum of €3,934 and $17,691.25 to his victim through the EFCC and the FBI liaison at USA Consulate, Lagos.
Daniel was sentenced to five years and six months in prison following his conviction on count one and two with N100,000 option of fine for each of the counts. He is also to restitute his victim €300 proceeds of his crime.
Azuka bagged 10 years with N1,000,000 option of fine and to restitute his victim €1,545 proceeds of his crime.
Chibuike (a.k.a Jonathan Stavidris) and Chukwuka (a.k.a Manfred) got 10 years imprisonment each with N1,000,000 option of fine each. In addition, each of them will restitute the sum of €5,000 or its Naira equivalent to their victims through the EFCC.
Lastly, Shedrack and his brother, Chukwuka (a.k.a Manfred), were sentenced to six months imprisonment each, with N100,000 option of fine.
Chukwuka had earlier bagged 10 years.
0