Justice A.N. Erhabor of the Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City, has sentenced nine internet fraudsters to jail, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed in a statement on Friday.
The anti-graft agency’s Benin zonal directorate secured the conviction of Desmond Aghanenu, Okolie Bright, Emeka Matthew, Anikwushe Calin, Precious Onyeka Okonkwo, Ojie Victor Emeka, Safety Tamarakuro Austin, Promise Osas Lucky, and Ebi Ferguson between March 27 and April 11, 2025.
According to the agency, the convicts—who were arrested in a sting operation following intelligence linking them to fraudulent internet activities—were prosecuted on separate one-count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime, and possession of fraudulent documents.
The charge against Desmond Aghanenu read: “That you Desmond Aghanenu (m) on or about the 14th of March, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession, documents which you knew or ought to have known contained false pretence, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
EFCC said all the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel—F.A. Jirbo, I.M. Elodi, Isa K. Agwai, and Bala-Ribah—to pray the court to sentence them. However, counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they had become remorseful for their actions.
“Justice Erhabor convicted and sentenced Desmond Aghanenu, Okolie Bright, Emeka Matthew, Anikwushe Calin, Precious Onyeka Okonkwo, Ojie Victor Emeka, Safety Tamarakuro Austin, [and] Promise Osas Lucky to two years imprisonment each or pay a fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) respectively, while Ebi Ferguson bagged three years imprisonment or pay a fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira),” the sentence read.
The judge also ordered that all the convicts forfeit their phones, computers, and money found in their respective bank accounts to the federal government of Nigeria, and write an undertaking to be of good behaviour henceforth.
