CITIZENS COMPASS–The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abuja Zonal Command, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 secured the conviction and sentencing of two internet fraudsters: Okonofi Paul and Ogumbe Elvis Wogor before Justice I. Mohammed of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court sitting in Gwagwalada.
They were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges bordering on internet fraud.
Paul’s charge reads, “that you Okonofi Paul sometimes in 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court committed the offence of cheating by personation when you pretended to be one Keanu Reeves a citizen of the United States of America and a Hollywood actor via Instagram social media account and as a result obtained the sum of $1500 (One Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars) from unsuspecting victims and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004”.
Wogor’s charge reads, ‘that you Ogumbe Elvis Wogor sometimes in 2023 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court cheated by personation when you created a Facebook account with the profile name, Sandra Bullock and presented yourself as a United States of American based actress and under the assumed character obtained the sum of Two Hundred Dollars ($200) from Mr. Ratus Tucker a citizen of the United States of America, under the pretence that you are in a romantic relationship with him, a fact you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of Penal Code, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja)1990 and punishable under the same Law”.
They both pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Defense counsel, G.I Eneche prayed the court to temper justice with mercy as the convicts were first time offenders and pleaded guilty and did not waste the resources of the court. He also prayed the court to release Paul’s Lexus ES 350 car which was earlier seized at the point of arrest but not included in the reported items seized, saying it was not a proceed of crime.
Following this, Justice Mohammed sentenced Paul to one and a half years imprisonment with an option of fine of N150,000( One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). His iPhone 12 and MacBook Pro 2022 were forfeited to the Federal Government.
Wogor, on the other hand, was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N80,000 (Eighty Thousand Naira) while his iPhone 12 was forfeited to the Federal Government. Justice Mohammed further ruled that the Lexus car be returned back to Paul.
The two convicts started their journey to the Correctional centre when they were arrested for internet-related offences. They were charged to court and convicted.
