- EFCC arrests 17 internet fraud suspects in P’Harcourt
By PAUL MICHAEL, ABUJA
Justice Muhammad Saidu Sifawa of the Sokoto State High Court has sentenced a marabout, one Labaran Aliyu to five years imprisonment on one count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretense.
The Trumpet gathered that Aliyu had falsely represented himself as a marabout with powers to double money through the use of spiritual powers, thereby duping one Shafi’u Muhammad to the tune of over N500,000.
The charge reads “ That you Labaran Aliyu, adult, male, sometime in January 2021 at Sokoto within the Judicial Division of the High Court of Justice of Sokoto State with intent to defraud represented yourself to one Shafi’u Muhammad as possessing the power and capable of doubling money through the medium of invocation of juju and invisible entity and in that capacity obtained the sum of N510,000.00 ( Five Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira from him, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences 2006, and punishable under 2 (c) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge. Consequently, prosecution counsel S.H. Sa’ad prayed the Court to convict and sentence him accordingly. Hence, Justice Sifawa convicted the defendant to 5 years imprisonment with an option of N50,000.00 fine.
While ordering the destruction of all the juju items recovered during investigations, the Judge also directed that the defendant pay full restitution to the victim.
Read Also: ICPC coaches SUBEB executives on National Values Curriculum
Meanwhile, the operatives of the EFCC, Port Harcourt Zonal Office on Friday, March 25, 2022 arrested 17 suspected internet fraudsters, at several hideouts in Nekede Road and Owerri Axis of Imo State.
The EFCC said the suspects were arrested based on verified intelligence reports linking them with alleged fraudulent activities ranging from love scam on numerous dating sites, impersonation, and possession of fraudulent documents, picker and bitcoin scam.
The suspects include Samuel Patrick, Brima Edegba, Kingsley Williams, Audu Emeka, David Godson, Alex James, Prince Akachukwu Nkemjika, Chidi Eze, and Kizito Emenyonu.
Others are Wisdom Handsome Chibuenyim, Chibuike Mbonu, Christian Sorochi, Victory Oparanozie, Uche Alex, Kingsley Eke, Collins Williams and Charles Iwu.
Items recovered from them include cash in foreign currencies, eight exotic cars (a Toyota Avalon, 2 Toyota Camry cars, a Corolla 2004 Model, Lexus ES 350, Mercedes ML 350, Lexus RS 350, Toyota Venza), fifty-eight phones (58) of different brands, eight laptops, one driver’s licence and six ATM Cards.
The anti-graft commission said the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
