The Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the convictions and sentence of eight internet fraudsters.
The convicts are Goshen Favour Habila, Isaac Matthew Eze, Patrick Oruma, Chineme Kelvin Ifeatu, Richard Olumodeji, Okoye Patrick, Hussaini Muhammad Hussaini and Elijah Tochia.
They were arraigned before Justices M.A Sambo , Aliu Bin Idris, Shafa ‘u .L. Yusuf and H.H. Kereng of the Bauchi and Gombe State High Courts respectively between May 19 and 21, 2025.
Habila and Ifeatu were arraigned on two -count charges of fraudulent conversion while others were arraigned on one- count charge bordering on impersonation and intent to defraud.
One of the charges against Goshe Favour Habila reads: That you, Goshe Favour Habila between January 2024 and March 2025 at Bauchi, Bauchi State within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, fraudulently obtained the sum of Two thousand, Thirty Seven United States of America Dollars( $2,037) and One hundred Eighty Euro(€180) from one James Mauray and Justha a foreign national and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 321 of the penal code law and punishable under Section 322 of the same law.
Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges , prompting the prosecution counsel, A.M Labaran, S.E Okemini, and M.O Tijani to pray the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
However, counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Sambo thereafter convicted and sentenced Ifeatu to thirty months imprisonment with an option of fine of N350,000( Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) on count one and six months imprisonment or a fine of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) on count two respectively . Oruma bagged three years imprisonment or fine of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) .
Justice Idris convicted and sentenced Habila to two years imprisonment or a fine of N250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) on count one and six months imprisonment without an option of fine on count two. Eze bagged two years imprisonment or fine of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira)
Justice Yusuf convicted and sentenced Patrick to four months imprisonment with an option of N1000,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira )as fine .
Hussaini baged three months imprisonment or fine of N100,000 and Tochia is to pay a fine of N100,000 in lieu of a jail term.
Justice Kereng convicted and sentenced Olumodeji to eight months imprisonment or a fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira)
The Justices ruled that the convicts restitute the victims of crime and forfeit one Camry car : one Dell laptop and mobile phones being proceeds and instruments of crime to the Federal Government of Nigeria
The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when they were arrested by operatives of the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the EFCC for internet fraud. They were charged to court and convicted.
In another development, the Gombe Zonal Directorate of EFCC has arraigned one Abubakar Abdullahi before Justice Abdulhamid Mohammed of the Gombe State High Court sitting in Gombe State on one-count charge of fraudulently converting the sum of N6,000,000( Six Million Naira ) to personal use.
The charge against Abdullahi reads: That you, Abubakar Abdullahi sometimes in 2021 at Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this honorable court did dishonestly convert to your own use the sum of Six Million Naira, property of one Wasiu Abdulkarim and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 308 and 309 of the penal code law respectively.
Upon arraignment, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge, prompting the prosecution counsel, M.O Tijani to ask the court for a trial date.
Justice Mohammed thereafter remanded the defendant at Gombe Correctional Service and adjourned the matter to June 30 , 2025.
