Man bags 11 months imprisonment for cyber fraud

Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna High Court on Tuesday sentenced Andrew James to 11 months imprisonment for cyber fraud.

James was sentenced following his guilty plea during his re-arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC had arraigned James on a two-count charge of obtaining by false pretences and possession of fraudulent documents.

Khobo ordered that the convict, who had been remanded at the Correctional Centre since Sept. 8, 2022 should begin his sentence from the date of this remand.

“The defendant is sentenced to 11 months imprisonment, starting from the date of his initial remand by this court, which was Sept. 8, 2022.

“He is however granted an option of fine of N100, 000 in lieu of his prison term and shall also forfeit all the items recovered from him to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he said.

Earlier, the EFCC Counsel, P. C. Onyeneho, said that the convict was arrested on Oct. 28, 2022 based on a tip-off and taken to the commission’s Kaduna office.

He said while in the commission office, he gave a statement admitting cybercrime.

“The defendant admitted to being an internet fraudster; he supplied the commission with his email address and his phone, which were accessed and several incriminating documents printed therefrom.

“It is on this basis that we are urging this honourable court to convict and sentence the defendant, and we also pray that all the items confiscated from him at the point of arrest be forfeited to the Federal Government,” he said.

According to him, the offences contravened Sections 312(1) (a) and 318 of the Kaduna State Penal Code, 2017.

The Defence Counsel, Mr Augustine Simon, in his plea for mercy, had asked the court to temper justice with mercy.

“The defendant is a first-time offender and I believe he has regretted his actions.

“He has suffered; he has cried and we are passionately pleading for mercy,” he said.