JUDICIARY
Businessman, Internet Fraudsters Bag Prison Terms in Benin, Lafia
By Gom Mirian, Abuja
Justice S.M.Shuaibu of the Federal High Court, sitting in Benin City, Edo State on Thursday, March 10, 2022, convicted Ohiosumuen Amos and Peter Atai Eduk for internet frauds. They were arraigned on one-count charge of impersonation and presentation of dud cheque.
Amos was said to have misrepresented his identity in order to defraud unsuspecting foreign nationals while Eduk, in December 2022 fraudulently presented a dud cheque to Edegbe Ugbogbo Nigeria Ltd.The charge against Amos read: “That you Ohiosumuen Amos (a.k.a Anabel Amos) sometime in May 2021 in Benin City, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did fraudulently impersonate the identity of one Anabel Amos, a white woman with intent to obtain money from one Mass Thomas, a white man through a Gmail account: anabelanabeamos@gmail.com created by you and thereby committed an offence contrary the Section 22(2)(ii) of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition Prevention Etc) Act , 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(IV) of the same Act”. The charge against Eduk read:” that you Peter Antai Eduk (doing business in the name and style of Antai Mart Ventures) on or about the 31st December 2020 in Benin, Edo State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court did fraudulently presented a Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc Cheque No: 00000058 to Edegbe Ugbogbo Nigeria Ltd in the sum of Two Million, Six Hundred and Sixty Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety Naira ( N2,664,790.00) knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(2) (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 of the revised edition ( Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under Section 1 (2)(C) of the same Act.”
They both pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against them by the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, A.A.Ozigbu prayed the court to convict and sentence them.Justice Shuaibu convicted and sentenced Amos to three years imprisonment with an option of N300, 000 fine while Eduk is to serve five years imprisonment or pay a fine of N300,000.Justice Shuaibu added that items recovered from Amos during investigation be forfeited to Federal Government of NigeriaIn another development, Justice M. I. Afolabi of the Federal High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State conviction sentenced one Ejiofor Chibuzor to jail for his involvement in Internet fraud.
The one-count charge read: “That you Ejiofor Chibuzor sometime in January, 2022 in Makurdi, Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently impersonated one Max William to chart with his friends with intent to gain advantage and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (a) (i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section 22 (2) (iv) of the Act”.The defendant pleaded “guilty” to the charge filed against him by the Makurdi Zonal Command of the EFCC.
Upon his plea, the prosecution counsel, G. G. Chia-Yakua prayed the Court to convict and sentence him as charged. Justice Afolabi thereafter, convicted and sentenced Chibuzor to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N200, 000.00. He is to forfeit his aptop to be sold by auction by the Registrar of the Court with the supervision of the EFCC and the proceeds, paid into the Treasury Single Account of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Also one Adegunwa Oluwaseyi Ayuba was arraigned before Justice Afolabi of the Federal High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State on one-count charge, bordering on internet fraud.
The charge read: “That you Adegunwa Oluwaseyi Ayuba sometime in June 2021 in Makurdi, Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court used an access device (a login details and password) issued to another resulting to a gain of N3,300,000 (Three Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira) with which you purchased a white Acura Car with registration number Lagos FST 667 GK, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 33 (2) (C) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section of the Act”.
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charge. Consequently, prosecution counsel, G. G. Chia-Yakua asked the court for a trial date and the remand of the defendant. However, defence counsel, T. A. Ahmed informed the court that a bail application had been filed and served on the prosecution and the court. He therefore urged the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms. Justice Afolabi, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N5million with one surety in like sum who must be a civil servant not below GL 12.The case adjourned till May 24, 2022 for commencement of trial.
A Kano State High Court has restrained the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, from parading himself as a member of the party.
Justice Usman Malam Na’abba, on Wednesday, made the order, following an exparte motion filed by Dr Ibrahim Sa’ad on behalf of two APC executive members of Ganduje ward, Dawakin-Tofa Local Government Area.
The plaintiffs are the party’s Assistant Secretary, Laminu Sani, and its Legal Adviser, Haladu Gwanjo.
The duo are among the nine ward executive members who suspended Ganduje from the party at the ward level, two days ago.
The respondents in the case include, All Progressives Congress (APC), APC National Working Committee (NWC), APC Kano State Working Committee (KSWC), and Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Granting the motion, Na’abba made an order restraining Ganduje from parading himself as APC National Chairman.
The court further made an order directing Ganduje to henceforth, desist from presiding over all affairs of the APC National Working Committee (NWC).
The court directed the respondents to henceforth maintain status quo ante belum as from April 15, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit on April, 30.
Justice Na’abba also granted the plaintiff’s prayer which ordered the APC SWC, from interfering with the legally and validly considered decision of executives of Ganduje ward, essentially on action endorsed by two thirds majority of the executives as provided by the party constitution.
“An order is hereby granted directing all parties in the suit APC (1st), APC National Working Committee (2nd), Kano State Working Committee APC (3rd), Dr. Abdullah Umar Ganduje (4th), to maintain status quo ante belum as of 15th April, 2024.
“The order thereby restraining the 1st respondent (APC) from recognizing the 4th respondent (Ganduje) as member of APC and prohibiting the 4th respondent (Ganduje) from presiding over any affairs of the NWC and restraining the state Working Committee from interfering with the legal and valid decision of the ward executives of Ganduje ward.
“That the 4th respondent (Ganduje) is prohibited from parading himself as member of APC or doing any act that may portray him or seem to be a member of APC, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit”.
It will be recalled that nine members of the Ganduje ward proclaimed the suspension of the National Chairman of APC over the allegation of corruption slammed on him by the Kano state government.
The nine APC executives said they were prompted to act following a petition written by one Ja’afaru Adamu, a member of APC from Ganduje’s polling unit.
In the petition, Adamu made allegations of corruption charges against the former governor just as he urged the ward leaders to investigate the matter to redeem the dented image of the party against the backdrop of President Bola Tinubu’s fight against corruption.
Following the failure of the Ward Chairman and Secretary to act on the petition, nine members of the executives, led by the legal adviser, acted and took the decision that led to the suspension Ganduje. (NAN)
A Jos Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday, sentenced a 28-year-old businessman, Peter Sunday to one year imprisonment for stealing motor parts valued at N200,000.
The Magistrate, Mr Shawomi Bokkos, summarily sentenced Sunday after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos, however, gave the convict an option to pay N30,000 and a compensation of N100,000 to the complainant.
The magistrate held that the punishment would serve as deterrent to other would-be offenders.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Labaran Ahmed, told the court that the case was reported on March 19, at the “B” Police station Bukuru by one Stephen Dung, the complainant.
The prosecutor alleged that the convict had trespassed into a mechanic workshop and stole the gearbox.
He told the court that the convict was however, apprehended at the point of his wanting to sell the stolen item.
The offence, according to him, is punishable under the Plateau state Penal Code Law. (NAN)
A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday sentenced a 29-year-old security guard, Harow Mali to three months imprisonment for stealing 25 litres of diesel.
The Judge, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily sentenced Mali after he pleaded guilty.
Bokkos, however, gave the convict an option to pay N10,000 fine.
The judge said the punishment would serve as deterrent to other would-be offenders.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp Labaran Ahmed told the court that the case was reported on March 20, at the “A” Police station Jos by one Yab Sunday, the complainant.
The prosecutor said the convict was caught with the 25 litres of diesel by the Police.
The offence, according to him, is punishable under the Plateau state Penal Code Law. (NAN)
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