Justice H. Dagat of the Federal High Court sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State on Thursday, May 29, 2025 convicted and sentenced two internet fraudsters to various jail terms
The convicts; Ijudigal Saleh and Ishaku John Aliyu were arraigned on Thursday, May 29, 2025 by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a two- count separate charge bordering on money laundering and impersonation.
The charge against Saleh reads: “That you Ijudigal Saleh between 2021 and 2022 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did directly take possession of an aggregate sum of $2,000,00 (Two Thousand United States of American Dollars) into your Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. Account No. 0215053885 with an account name Ijudigal Saleh being the Naira equivalent of N2, 500,000.00 (Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) being the naira equivalent value of the cash App, Gift Cards, Paypal, lottery Scams denominated in United States of American Dollars which sum you knew or reasonably ought to have known is proceeds of your fraud or form part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: falsely representing yourself by using pseudo names such as Daniella Lam Dave Suyer amongst others to unsuspecting foreign nationals amongst who are Dennis, Cynthiana and Gonzalez Citizens of United States of America and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2(d) of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
While the charge against Aliyu reads: “That you Ishaku John Aliyu between 2031 and 2024 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did directly take possession of an aggregate sum of $175 worth of gift card and cash app from lottery scam and trade cards to an online Chinese Vendor and got credited Naira equivalent of (Two Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira) only into your Pampay Microfinance Bank Limited with an account No. 8083148081 with an account name Ishaku John Aliyu being the naira equivalent value of the cash app, gift cards, lottery scams denominated in United States of American Dollars which sum you knew or reasonably ought to have known is proceeds of your fraud or form part of proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2(d) of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
The defendants pleaded guilty to their separate charges when they were read to them. In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel Abdulmalik D. Aliyu prayed the court to convict them accordingly.
Justice Dagat thereafter convicted and sentenced Saleh to two years imprisonment on count one and two with an option of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira).
Aliyu was sentenced to a term of four years imprisonment on count one and two with an option of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira).
The judge further ordered the forfeiture of accessories and monies recovered during investigation from the convicts to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The convicts were arrested and jailed for defrauding unsuspecting members of the public, especially United States of American citizens.
