Court Sentences Two Internet Fraudsters to Jail in Enugu as EFCC Charges Another

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Independence Layout, Enugu, has sentenced two individuals, Arinze Johnpaul Chukwudi and Ajah Damian Uchechukwu, to prison for internet fraud. They were prosecuted by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate one-count charges related to cybercrime and conspiracy to commit impersonation.

The charge against Chukwudi states: "That you, Arinze Johnpaul Chukwudi, 26, did, in 2024 in Enugu, fraudulently impersonate JIMCHO MUN, a male foreign military nurse from South Korea residing in the United States, using a Facebook account and your Itel A662L, with the intent to defraud M Irfan, an unsuspecting foreign national. This act violates Section 22 (3) (a) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, punishable under Section 22 (4) of the same Act." The charge against Uchechukwu reads: "That you, Ajah Damian Uchechukwu (also known as Uchechukwu Damian Ajah, Uche Ajah, and Damian Uchechukwu Ajah), along with Obinna Iro Valentine (already convicted in the United States), Enuma George (currently at large), and Patrick Kelechi (alias Pastor Kelechi), conspired to commit impersonation in 2017 at Amakohia, Imo State, intending to fraudulently obtain $10,452 USD from Ngan Nguyen, an American citizen. This act contravenes Section 27 (1) (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended) and is punishable under the same section." Both defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were presented. Following this, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Ajobiewe Rotimi Enitan, requested a conviction and appropriate sentencing, while the defense counsel, Chijoke E., urged the court for leniency. Consequently, Justice Umar sentenced Chukwudi to 11 months in prison without the option of a fine, while Uchechukwu received a six-month sentence and was ordered to pay a fine of N500,000 (Five hundred thousand Naira). The fraudsters, specializing in the impersonation of foreign nationals, were apprehended on May 17, 2024. In a related case, the EFCC also arraigned Prince Odinaka Ogbu, Nwachukwu Chidalu Prosper, and Desmond Okoye Chidera before Justice Umar. Ogbu faces a separate two-count charge, while Prosper and Chidera are charged with two counts, all concerning cybercrime. The first count against Ogbu states: "That you, Prince Odinaka Ogbu, 34, aided Ledata Evans and others to commit a felony, specifically Unauthorized Modification of Computer Systems, Network Data, and System Interference in 2024 in Enugu, violating Section 27 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and punishable under Section 16 (1) of the same Act." The first count against Prosper and Chidera reads: "That you, Nwachukwu Chidalu Prosper and Desmond Okoye Chidera, in 2024 in Enugu, fraudulently used the electronic mail password of Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Ugochukwu Nwachukwu with the intent to gain an advantage for yourselves, thereby committing an offense contrary to Section 22 (2) (a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) of the same Act."