Justice M. Itsueli of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 convicted and sentenced eight internet fraudsters to jail.
The convicts are: Friday Osamudiamenwen, Monday Moses, Wisdom Idahosa, Osazuwa Oghomwen, Christopher Victor, Odion Desmond Osas, Monday Louis Adagboyin and Bright Ogbiede.
They were prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on separate one-count charges, bordering on advance fee fraud, obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime and possession of fraudulent documents.
The charge against Osas read “That you Odion Desmond Osas (m) on or about the 15th of August, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession, on your iPhone 14 with IMEI Number 351246958475661, documents which you knew or ought to have known contained a false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
All the defendants pleaded “guilty,” prompting prosecution counsel, K.W Chukuma-Eneh, I.M Elodi, I.K Agwai, M.S Dahiru and Ibrahim Al-Amin to ask the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while the defence counsel pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they have become remorseful for their actions.
Justice Itsueli convicted and sentenced Osamudiamwen, Idahosa and Victor to two years imprisonment, each or to pay N300, 000 (Three hundred Thousand Naira) fine, respectively. He convicted and sentenced Moses and Oghomwen to two years imprisonment, each or to pay N250, 000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand) fine, respectively. He convicted and sentenced Desmond and Adagboyin to two years imprisonment, each or to pay N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, respectively. He convicted and sentenced Ogbeide to two years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 (One hundred Thousand Naira).
All the convicts forfeited their mobile phones and laptop computers, being the tools of their crimes and money found in their respective bank accounts, being the proceeds of their crimes to the federal government and undertook in writing to be of good behaviour henceforth.
The convicts’ journey to jail began with their arrest by operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, following credible intelligence that exposed their involvements in fraudulent internet activities.
