Court Convicts Man for Internet Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, January 28, 2016 secured the conviction of one Emmanuel Eromonse Akhalu, a member of an internet fraud syndicate, as Justice P.I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court, sitting in Benin, Edo State sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence.
The convict was arrested on the 27th August, 2015 by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, following an intelligence report on how he had defrauded one foreigner of 1500 US Dollars in the United Kingdom
He was subsequently arraigned on the 12th November, 2015, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him by the EFCC.
However, when trial commenced on 27th January, 2016, the defence counsel, A.O.Obodo, sought a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution counsel, R. Ikhanaede.
Consequently, the prosecution applied to the court to strike out counts one and three of the charges, leaving only count two, which the defendant pleaded guilty to.
The charge reads: ‘‘That you Emmanuel Eromosele Akhalu(alias Bryan Perry) and others (now at large) on or about the 20th of July, 2015 in Benin City, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of 1500 US Dollars from one James Sindelar in the United Kingdom through Western Money Union Transfer under the false pretence that you are a barrister soon to be conferred Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), a pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
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Man Bags Seven Years Jail Term For N1.4m Fraud
Justice Salisu Garba of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday, January 29, 2016 convicted and sentenced one Tunde Oreniga to seven years imprisonment.
The convict, who was arraigned in 2007 on a 27- count charge of conspiracy, theft and forgery, had conspired with one Ojeyinka Omotosho (who is now at large) to steal a cheque book belonging to one Mohammed N. Abubakar and forged his signature to withdraw money in installments to the tune of N1, 450,000.00(One Million, Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), using a forged confirmation letter.
One of the counts reads: “That you Tunde Oreniga and Ojeyinka Omotosho( now at large) on or about the 17th day of March, 2006 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N750,000 (Seven Hundred and Fifty-Thousand Naira) from UBA Plc by false pretence by presenting UBA Plc Cheque No:10814012 purported to have been issued and signed by one Alhaji Mohammed N. Abubakar, which you knew is false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Decree No.13 of 199S as amended by the Tribunals (Certain Consequential Amendment etc) Decree No 62 of 1999 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Decree”
In the course of the trial, the prosecution had presented five witnesses and tendered over 20 exhibits.
Justice Garba found the accused guilty on counts 1, 2, 3, 24, 25, 26 and 17 and acquitted him on other charges relating to theft and forgery.
He was sentenced to five years imprisonment on the count of obtaining money under false pretence and two years for conspiracy.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
29th January, 2016