Two Imprisoned for Internet Fraud in Kano

Court jails two for internet fraud in Kano
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A Kano State High Court, under the leadership of Justice Ibrahim Karaye, has sentenced two fraudsters, Benjamin Udeagwu and Benjamin Olamide, to three years imprisonment for internet-related offenses. 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) revealed in a statement on Wednesday, posted on its official social media handle on X (formerly Twitter), that the two were convicted after pleading guilty to a one-count of internet fraud during their arraignment by the Kano Zonal Command of the EFCC.

The charge against Udeagwu states, “That you Benjamin Udeagwu, sometime in September 2023 in Kano within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kano with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $50 by fraudulently impersonating as Brad George, a citizen of the United States of America, which pretense you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offense of cheating by personation contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Law and punishable under Section 324 of the same law.”

The charge against Olamide reads, “That you Benjamin Olamide sometime in 2022 at Kano, Kano State, within the jurisdiction of this court, did dishonestly induce unsuspecting victims to deliver to you a total sum of $500 as Terry Vince, who lives in the United States of America, through a Gmail account, waytospace420cgmail.com, which presence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of cheating contrary to Section 320 of the Penal Code Law of Kano State and punishable under Section 322 of the same law.”

The EFCC’s counsel, Abubakar Elbadawi and Fatima Mustapha, requested the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. Counsel for the defendants, M.J Ella and M.E Ogah, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, emphasizing that “the defendants were first-time offenders and have regretted their actions.”

Justice Karaye sentenced Udeagwu to one-year imprisonment or an option of a fine of N20,000. Olamide, on the other hand, was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of a fine of N20,000.

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