Richard Anyebe
Six internet fraudsters, popularly known as “Yahoo Boys” have been convicted and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.
They were convicted by Justices Ijeoma Ojukwu and Rosemary Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross Rivers State.
The “Yahoo Boys”: Ojiako David Enyinna, Hezekiah Ezekiel Eno, Onyedika Ugochukwu Enemchukwu, Adinkwu Destiny Chukwudifu, God’s Favour Bassey Essi and Ebenezer Emmanuel Peter, were jailed on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.
They were convicted after pleading guilty to different charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence and criminal impersonation.
A statement issued on Saturday by the Spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren said while Enemchukwu and Peter were arraigned on separate two-count charges, Enyinna, Eno, Chukwudifu and Essi were arraigned on a separate one-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and criminal impersonation.
One of the charges against Peter reads: “That you, Ebenezer Emmanuel Peter “M” sometime in 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession and control of $200 (Two Hundred Dollars) intentionally, knowing that the money formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: obtaining money by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act”.
They all pleaded guilty when the separate charges were read to them.
Given their pleas, prosecuting counsel; S. S. Aribido and J.E.I Ogbuli prayed to the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
However, defence counsel: Daniel G. Daniel, Koko Essien, Innocent Eze, and Francis Ezike prayed to the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Oghoghorie sentenced Peter to one-year imprisonment on each of the two-count charges, to run concurrently, or pay a fine of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira only).
Chukwudifu and Essi bagged one-year imprisonment each with the option of a fine of N500,000.00.
Enemchukwu, Enyinna, and Eno were convicted and sentenced by Justice Ojukwu as follows: Enemchukwu: 6 months imprisonment on each count to run concurrently, with an option of fine of N500,000.00; Enyinna and Eno: 6 months imprisonment each with the option of fine of N500,000.00 and N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) respectively.
Enemchukwu and Peter were ordered to pay the sums of $400 and $200 respectively in restitution to their victims, through the Commission. While all items used in committing the crimes were forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that operatives of the Uyo command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested nineteen (19) undergraduates of the Akwa Ibom State University, Mkpat-Enin, for suspected internet-related offences, otherwise known as “Yahoo Yahoo.”
