JUSTICE E. A. Obile of the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital has convicted and sentenced one Ukachukwu Chidiebere to prison for internet fraud.
Chidiebere was prosecuted by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on one-count charge of impersonation.
The charge reads: “That you Ukachukwu Chidiebere (a. K. a Libaan Cali, David Mckay), on or about the 2nd of February, 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently created a Google Chat account with usernames: davidmckayceo001.
He pleaded “guilty” when the charge was read to him, following which prosecution counsel Abdulramad Abubakar, called a witness, Tasiu Balla Mohammed who testified against him. The prosecution also tendered some documents in further proof the case against the defendant.
In view of the testimonies of the witness and the documents tendered, prosecution counsel prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant in line with his plea, while the defence counsel, M. M. Suleiman prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that the defendant is a first time offender with no previous criminal records and has become remorseful.
In his judgement, Justice Obile convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment or to pay a fine of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira). In addition, the convict forfeited his Toshiba laptop and its charger, a computer mouse and one blue Tecno mobile phone to the federal government. He also deposed to an affidavit of good behaviour before the court.
The convict was apprehended by operatives of “Operation Eagle Sweep” of the EFCC in February 2024 at Daewoo Road by Ox-bow Lake, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State following intelligence on his internet fraud activities.
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