Two Individuals Sentenced to Prison for Internet Fraud in Port Harcourt

Justice P. I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, convicted and sentenced Glory Okwor Ebube and Harrison Uzorchukwu Emmanuel for their involvement in fraudulent activities. 

Prosecuted by the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the two faced separate charges related to impersonation, advance fee fraud, and obtaining money under false pretenses. The charges against Ebube stated: "That you, Okwor Glory Ebube, in February 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with the intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $2,000 (Two Thousand United States Dollars) from your victims by using your Telegram account under the guise of Kim Kardashian, a well-known influencer and celebrity from the United States. You were aware that this identity was false, thereby committing an offense contrary to Section 1(2)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006." Emmanuel's charge reads: "That you, Harrison Emmanuel Uzorchukwu, in March 2025 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, within this Honourable Court's jurisdiction, with the intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $1,000 (One Thousand United States Dollars) from one Deborah Teaque under the pretense that the money was for an investment in bitcoin, which you knew to be false, thus committing an offense contrary to Section 1(1)(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act." Both defendants pleaded "guilty" when the charges were presented. In response, prosecution counsel N. A. Dodo and M. Abubakar submitted incriminating documents as evidence and requested the court to impose a sentence that reflected their admissions of guilt. Meanwhile, defense attorneys G. M. Chukwu and Dozie Munakwe pleaded for leniency, asserting that their clients were first-time offenders. 

Justice Ajoku sentenced both individuals to 30 months in the Port Harcourt Correctional Center or a fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) each, payable to the Consolidated Revenue Account of the federal government. Additionally, a Toyota Corolla, an iPhone 15 Pro, and an iPhone 16 that were seized during their arrest were forfeited to the federal government. The convicts were also required to sign an affidavit of good behavior in court. Their path to incarceration began with their arrest in Port Harcourt in April 2025, following reliable intelligence that brought their fraudulent internet activities to light.