Court jails 17 for fraud in Edo

Justice Igho Braimoh of the Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City, has convicted and sentenced 17 internet fraudsters to various jail terms.

The convicts are Oserei John Vianny, Osaro Moses, Desmond Okoduwa, Obi Isaac, Joshua Omoruyi, Iyabosa Omoruyi, Jeffery Omoruyi, Odion Alex Idada, Aisosa Aiyeki, and Prosper Aimiomwona.

Others are Cherish Omoruyi, Kelly Omoruyi, Victor Osaze, Obobor Moses, Timothy Ogie, Osemuahu Godspower, and Bonny Stephen

They were prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate one-count bordering on obtaining by false pretence and possession of fraudulent documents.

The charge against Oserei John Vianny read: “That you, Oserei John Vianny (m), on or about the 10th of June, 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did have in your possession documents which you knew or ought to have known contained false pretence, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

All the defendants pleaded “guilty” to their charges when they were read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel, I.K. Agwai, Ibrahim Faisal, and Ahmed Salihu, to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

However, counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they had become remorseful for their actions.

Justice Braimoh subsequently convicted and sentenced Vianny, Idada, Cherish Omoruyi, Kelly Omoruyi, Aiyeki, Obobor Moses, and Osaro Moses to two years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N200,000 each, while Iyobosa Omoruyi, Joshua Omoruyi, Aimiomwona, Ogie, Godspower, Stephen, Jeffery Omoruyi, Osaze, and Isaac received three years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 each. Desmond was handed three years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000.

Furthermore, the judge ordered the forfeiture of a Toyota Camry, Mercedes Benz 350, Rav4 Toyota, and Mercedes Benz C300 recovered from Okoduwa, Isaac, and Aiyeki as proceeds of their crime to the federal government.

In addition, all the convicts forfeited their phones, laptops, and money in their respective bank accounts to the federal government and undertook in writing to be of good behaviour henceforth.

The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began with their arrest by operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC following credible intelligence on their involvement in fraudulent internet activities.