Court jails two fraudsters in Makurdi

The Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, July 13, 2023, secured the conviction of Dugeri Terungwa Jerome and Ogwuche Vincent Adanu before Justice Abdul Dogo of a Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State for charges bordering on impersonation.

The charge against  Jerome reads: “That you, Dugeri Terungwa Jerome sometime in November, 2022, in Makurdi, Benue State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, acted as middle man (Picker) to unknown syndicates of fraudsters by receiving proceeds obtained from online fraud through your Access bank account No. 1417804021 and converted same to Naira equivalent and paid into their account by collecting 5% to wit: N750,000 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) only as your share, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act”.

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The charge against Adanu reads: “That you, Ogwuche Vincent Adanu on or about 28th February,  2023 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, sent an online message on your Facebook account Dav Doowuese Dorcas and misrepresented fact to wit: a female spiritual herbalists from United States of America and obtained the aggregate sum of $420 (Four Hundred and Twenty Dollars) from one Minie Cinnerous a citizen of United States of America,  the money which was converted and sent to your Opay Account No. 9020836378 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under same Section of the Act”.

The duo pleaded guilty to the charges and were convicted and sentenced to various jail terms, Terungwa bagged one year imprisonment with an option of One Million Naira fine. The court also ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone and laptop, which were the instruments used to commit the crime, and the sum of N100,000 recovered as proceeds of crime, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Vincent was sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of N500, 000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. He also forfeits an iPhone to the Federal Government of Nigeria.