Court Convicts 12 ‘Yahoo Boys’: Pay 200k Fine Each Or Spend One Year In Jail

Twelve (12) internet fraudsters, popularly known as “Yahoo Boys” have been convicted and sentenced to a one-year jail term each by Justice Fatun Riman of the Federal High Court sitting in Abakiliki, Ebonyi State.

Court Jails 12 ‘Yahoo Boys’ In Abakaliki

Their conviction was secured by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, November 15, 2022.

A statement issued by the Spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren said the convicts were jailed on one-count separate charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence.

Uwujaren gave the names of the convicts as
Matthew Chukwuemeka, Temple Emmanuel, Chukwu Joseph, Ibeh Chisom, Anson Ugochukwu, and Abuchi Awa.

Others are Akalam Lucky, Akalam Michael, Itodo Jude, Itodo Victor, Ohaeri Sixtus, and Osawele Lucky.

The charge against Chukwuemeka reads,” that you, Matthew Chukwuemeka sometime in 2022 in Awka within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, fraudulently impersonated one Troy Davidson, through a fake Telegram account  via your Techno Spark 8c phone to gain advantage for yourself  and with the intent to obtain money from unsuspecting foreign nationals and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(3)(a) and (b) of the Cyber Crime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act,,2015 and punishable under Section22(4) of the Same Act.”

All 12 defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.

Justice Riman convicted and sentenced them to one-year imprisonment each, with an option of N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) as a fine.

All the convicts started their journey to the Correctional Centre when they were arrested by operatives of the Enugu Zonal Command of the EFCC, for various internet-related offences.

Meanwhile, Kanyi Daily reported that Justice Omolara Adeyemi of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, convicted and sentenced “Yahoo Boys” to various jail terms on a separate one-count charge each.