Justices Darius Khobo and A.A. Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court and Justice Hawau Buhari of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, have convicted and sentenced six individuals for internet fraud. The convicts, Abubakar Shettima (a.k.a Dennis Hueber), Timileyin Akinsola (a.k.a James Smith), Favour Onoja (a.k.a Dean Leon), Naphtali Bako (a.k.a Benjah), Suleiman Ibrahim (a.k.a Rico_Mod2), and Festus Gabriel (a.k.a Sandra Will), received various jail terms for their crimes.
The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuted the six on separate one-count charges of cheating and impersonation.
Akinsola’s charge stated: “That you, Timileyin Akinsola (a.k.a James Smith), male, between January and May 2024 in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, impersonated one James Smith, a United States of America citizen, on Instagram and in such assumed character cheated one Larry Fletcher of the sum of $125 USD and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”
Similarly, Bako’s charge read: “That you, Naphtali Bako (a.k.a Benjah), sometime in April 2024 in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, represented yourself as one Benjah (a musician from the United States of America) on Facebook and in such assumed identity cheated one Alois Whitfield of the total sum of N60,000 (Sixty Thousand Naira), only, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.”
All the convicts pleaded guilty to their charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, Kehinde Ogunlade and Musa Usman Gadaka, to urge the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Khobo sentenced Shettima to three years imprisonment or a fine of N400,000, and Akinsola to five years imprisonment or a fine of N450,000. Justice Isiaka sentenced Onoja to five years imprisonment or a fine of N400,000, and Bako to seven years imprisonment or a fine of N400,000. Justice Buhari sentenced Ibrahim to 14 years imprisonment or a fine of N300,000, and Gabriel to four years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000.
The courts also ordered the convicts to forfeit their communication gadgets, used in their crimes, to the Federal Government.
