JUSTICE N.U. Sadiq of the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kaduna has convicted and sentenced four internet fraudsters to five years imprisonment.
The convicts, Chinedu Prince Omeka, Adamu Eric Mendos, Daniel Andrew, and Elom Vincent Prince were convicted on one- count charge respectively bordering on impersonation.
The lone count reads: “That you, Chinedu Prince Omeka (a.k.a Todd_ Rundgren) ‘M’ sometime in August, 2023 in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, impersonated one Todd Rundgren on Instagram and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 142 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under the same Law.”
Another count read, “that you, Adamu Eric Mendos(MENDEEVISUAL), ‘M’ sometime in January, 2023 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, impersonated one MENDEEVISUAL, a Mexican on Instagram by presenting yourself as a Music Festival Event ticket seller and as such, assumed character as Mendeevisual and engaged Casper Tanna and other unsuspecting persons, and you thereby committed impersonation, an offence contrary to Section 142(1) of the Penal Code Law, 2017 of Kaduna State and punishable under same Law.”
They all pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.
Based on their pleas, prosecuting counsel, M. Lawal and M.U Gadaka prayed the court to convict them accordingly.
Justice Sadiq, thereafter convicted and sentenced three of the convicts to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N150,000.00( One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) respectively, while Elom Vincent Prince was sentenced to three years imprisonment with an option of fine of N150,000.00 .
The judge ordered Omeka to forfeit one iPhone 11 to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the EFCC. Mendos also forfeited one iPhone 11 , Andrew forfeited one iPhone 12 and restituted the sum of $120 to his victim, while Prince forfeited one iPhone 6s to the government. . He was also ordered to restitute the sum of $50(Fifty USD) to the victim through the EFCC.
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