ustice A.O Musa of the FCT High Court, Bwari, Abuja, on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, sentenced three internet fraudsters to seven months imprisonment with N100,000 option of fine respectively, on separate one-count charge of internet fraud, impersonation and forgery, contrary to Section 320 of the Penal Code Laws of the Federation (Abuja 1990) and punishable under Section 322 of the same Act.
The three convicts, namely: Opara Donald. C. alias (White Harris), Daniel Uduoborie, alias (David Butter) and Illoh Joseph Chiedu, alias (Kylian Overgoor), were prosecuted by the Abuja Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The charge against Chiedu reads: “That you Illoh Joseph (alias Kylian Overgoor) sometime in 2018 in Abuja, within the judicial division of this honourable court, attempted to cheat when you created an Instagram account name: Kylian Overgoor with email “Kylianovergoor@gmail.com” and under the assumed character obtained the sum of $6200(Six Thousand, Two Hundred Dollars) from Mrs. Elena Marley under the pretext that you are in a romantic relationship with her and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 of the penal Code laws of the Federation (Abuja 1990).”
That against Uduoborie reads: “That you Daniel Uduoborie (a.k.a David Butter) sometime in 2019, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, fraudulently induced one Kathelen Borg, a citizen of America to deliver the sum of $400 USD (which is equivalent to One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), by falsely representing to her that you are an Engineer from united States of America who is in love with her, using an application on your Facebook account with a login account Davidbutter251111@gmail.com with a password Talkerlannyk2 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320(a) of panel code, laws of Federation of Nigeria(Abuja)(1990) of panel code, and punishable under section 322 of the same Law.”
For Donald, the charge reads: “That you Opara Donald C (a.k.a White Harris) sometime in August 2019, at Owerri within the jurisdiction of this honourable court fraudulently impersonated one White Harris, a citizen of America and obtained the sum of $4,5009 (Four Thousand Five Hundred US Dollars), which is equivalent to One Million Six Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira), from a Korean lady through www.facebook.com with a password-jeffmillious@gmail.com and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320(2)(ii) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”
They all pleaded guilty, upon which prosecution counsel, Aisha Ibrahim, urged the court to convict and sentence them in accordance with the plea bargain agreement they entered with the EFCC.
The defence counsels, however, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
11 December, 2019
