Two internet fraudsters were on Friday, July 14 convicted and sentenced to jail by Justice M. Itsueli of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City.
The convicts, Wisdom Osazuwa 18, who claims to be a tailor and Oyegun Osadebamwen Godwin, a student, were arraigned separately on one count charge of unlawful possession of fraudulent documents by the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Upon arraignment the duo pleaded guilty to their respective charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, Salihu Ahmed to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Itsueli convicted and sentenced Osazuwa and Oyegun to three years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 each.
The convicts’ journey to prison began following their arrest based on actionable intelligence for their involvement in internet fraud. Godwin confessed that he started cryptocurrency fraud in 2022 and has impersonated several individuals online including Darcy.
In a similar development, Louis Osadolor a 24-year-old internet fraudster was on Wednesday, July 12 convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment by Justice C. A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin. Osadolor was prosecuted on one count charge bordering on fraudulent impersonation. He impersonated the identity of Jucastrotrradefit, a Brazilian woman and Bitcoin trader with intent to defraud unsuspecting victims.
The charge against him reads: “That you, Louis Osadolor sometime in April 2023 in Oghara, Delta State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently impersonate the identity of Jucastrotrraderfit, a Brazilian bitcoin trader by fraudulently sending documents to one Eliane Cruz through the internet which documents you claim emanated from the said Jucastrotrraderfit with the intent to obtain money from unsuspecting victims and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 22(2) (b)(ii) of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition Prevention, etc) Act 2015 and punishable under section 22(2)(b)(IV) of the same Act”.
