Ten or more online scammers have been found guilty and given sentences of two years in prison or a fine of N200,000 each.
According to reports, Justice Mary Itsueli of an Edo High Court in Benin City sentenced the prisoners to their jail terms.
The Benin office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned them on a separate one-count accusation that bordered on impersonation, acquisition by false pretense, advance fee fraud, retention of proceeds of crime, and possession of bogus documents.
Okoro Emmanuel, Billwise Dikoru, Enoma Osasumwen, Samson Festus, Godspower Afolorunikon, Omonle Damien, Sunday Uanseoje, Sylvester Udu, Ani Chucks, and Amilegbe Saviour are the ten inmates.
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The prosecutors asked the court to convict the defendants in accordance with their guilty pleas, according to the anti-graft agency’s X-page, which was once Twitter.
Isa Agwai and K. Y. Bello, the prosecution’s attorneys, had previously informed the court that the offenses violated Sections 6 and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and were penalized under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Nonetheless, the defense attorney begged the court to balance justice with mercy, pointing out that the accused had expressed regret for their deeds.
In its ruling, the court mandated that the convicted individuals give up their cell phones and laptops, which were used as instruments of their criminal activity.
Additionally, the court ordered them to turn over to the Federal Government the funds that were discovered in their individual bank accounts and were obtained as a result of their criminal activities.
