No fewer than 32 Internet fraudsters have been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms by the Edo State High Courts sitting in Benin City.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in a statement on Thursday, disclosed that its Benin Zonal Directorate secured the convictions before Justices A.N. Erhabor and W.I. Aziegbemhin.
The convicts include Amos Adievugwhare, Kelvin Osakpamwan, Isaac Kelvin, Obanuso Elliot, Ndubisi Emmanuel, Danjuma Godwin, Abraham Abisere, Enang Shedrack, Wiliki Bright, David Dagul, Imooa Michael, Targema Solomon, Henry Davou, Akinluyi Ayoola Cornelinus, Ifeanyi Nelson Pius, and Torkula Henry Luper.
Others are Yahaya Jibrin, Monday Atekha Destiny, Sodiq Ahmad, Anthony Gabriel Onuche, Anyaler Udoka, Seun Ibeg, Dallah Osikadi, Ediwin Asemota, Igbo Aondona, Iyobosa Okoro, Osayande Bright, Isiguzo Chidi Morris, Kadiri Bobby Abdul, Osazee Marvins Osabuohein, Efosa Destiny Omorosa, and Kelvin Adams Aisosa.
According to the statement, “They were prosecuted on separate one-count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, Advance Fee fraud, retention of proceeds of crime, and possession of fraudulent documents.”
The charge against Adievugwhare read, “That you, Amos Adievugwhare (m), on or about the 15th of April, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did have in your possession documents which you knew or ought to have known contained false pretences, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
All 32 defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges. The prosecution counsel—comprising I.M. Elodi, I.K. Agwai, K.Y. Bello, Ibrahim Al-Amin, Salihu Ahmed, Bala Rabah, and Faisal Ibrahim— urged the courts to convict and sentence them.
Justice Erhabor sentenced 29 of the convicts, including Adievugwhare, to two years’ imprisonment each, with an option of a N200,000 fine. Osabuohein received five years’ imprisonment or a fine of N500,000.
Justice Aziegbemhin sentenced Kelvin and Osakpamwan to two years’ imprisonment each, with the option of paying fines of N300,000 and N400,000, respectively. Omorosa was handed two years’ imprisonment or a N200,000 fine.
The EFCC added, “In addition to their sentences, all the convicts forfeited their phones, computers, and money found in their bank accounts—being proceeds of crime—to the Federal Government. They also signed undertakings to be of good behaviour henceforth.”
The commission noted that the convicts were apprehended following “credible intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities.”
The anti-graft agency achieved a similar milestone when it arrested 120 suspected internet fraudsters in Lagos during a coordinated crackdown on cybercrime activities across the state recently.
