Two brothers, Ochuko Godfrey and Ochuko Prosper, as well as 14 other defendants, were found guilty and given varied prison sentences by a high court in Benin City, Edo State, presided over by Justice Efe Ikponmwonba on Tuesday.
According to a post by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on its X account on Thursday, the other culprits are Prosper Enahoro, Ogheneoma Udolu, Raymond Edise, Akai Philip Onochie, Osayi Kennedy Obaseki, Joshua Ngerem, Oghogho Marvelous Ekpuke, Stanley David, Jackson Shebenor, Felix Orevaoghene, Emmanuel, Gideon Onaiwu, Johnson Godspower Oghenevwegba, Godspower Emmanuel Jerimaiah, and Felix Wada.
They claim that the EFCC’s Benin Zonal Command arraigned the prisoners separately on a one-count allegation of impersonation and possession of false papers.
They were detained by Commission agents on the basis of useful information about their alleged involvement in online fraud. Investigations revealed that the offenders had engaged in various forms of online fraud. For instance, Ochuko Godfrey impersonated Antonio Matthew and Richard Williams in an effort to con unwary people.
Joshua Ngerem is accused of violating Sections 6 and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006 and violating Section 1(3) of the same Act by possessing documents that he knew or should have known contained a false pretense on or around September 8, 2023 while acting within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court.
They were charged, entered a plea of guilty at the arraignment, found guilty, and given the appropriate penalty.
The prisoners’ mobile phones, one HP laptop, and the remaining funds in their bank accounts were ordered to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria as the proceeds of crime. The court also mandated the closure of the bank accounts.
In a related event, Anah Trust Avwerosuo was found guilty and given a sentence of two years in jail or a fine of N200,000 for his role in online fraud on Tuesday by Justice S. M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court in Benin City. According to the statement, Avwerosuo had used Henri-Alva-Rezi, an American, as a ruse to deceive his victims.