Four internet fraudsters bag jail terms in Kaduna

The Federal High Court and State High Court sitting in Kaduna have convicted and sentenced four persons, Anthony Chukwu, Madaki Ismail, Samson Aliyu, and Christopher Israel to various jail terms for internet fraud.

It was disclosed in a statement released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday.

According to the EFCC Kaduna Zonal Command, they were prosecuted on one-count separate charges, bordering on impersonation, obtaining by pretense, and money laundering.

The statement noted that the courts had decreed that the defendants had committed offences contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention And Prohibition)2022 and Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.

Chukwu’s charge reads, “That you, Anthony Chukwu (a.k.a Carmelita Luna), sometime in December 2023, in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, directly acquired the sum of N520,000.00 from Nelro Balmoria and other unsuspecting persons through false identity, which you knew that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, and you thereby committed money laundering, an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention And Prohibition)2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”

That of Aliyu reads, “That you Samson Aliyu (a.k.a John Dunwell), between January and May 2024 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence, by falsely presenting yourself as John Dunwell, a white man and an investment broker with AZ Finance Investment Company. In that assumed character cheated several persons including one Lhes, the total sum of P2,000.00 Philippines pesos via Instagram and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.”

They pleaded guilty to the charges read to them, upon which the prosecution counsel Matiyak and Argungu urged the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.

The presiding judge, Justice Aikawa, of the Federal High Court, convicted and sentenced Chukwu to five years imprisonment or a fine of N300,000.00 while Ismail bagged five years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000.00.

It was reported that in addition, both convicts forfeited the sum of N520,000.00 and $310 respectively, being proceeds of their crimes to the federal government as well as an iPhone XR and Samsung S21 mobile phones, being the instruments of their crimes.

Justice Darius Khobo of the State High Court convicted and sentenced Aliyu to three years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 and sentenced Israel to three years imprisonment or a fine of N250,000.00.

In addition, Aliyu forfeited $50, being the proceeds of his crime to the federal government, while both forfeited their phones, being instruments of their crimes to the federal government.

It was reported that Chukwu, Aliyu, and Israel were arrested in Kaduna, while Ismail was arrested in Jos following credible intelligence on their fraudulent internet activities.