The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,secured the conviction and sentence of four Filipinos and seven Nigerians for cyberterrorism and internet fraud before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The Filipino convicts are: Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian and Dominique Medina, while the Nigerians are: Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan and Oghomienor Jotham.
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They were prosecuted on separate charges bordering on cyberterrorism and internet fraud.
Samonte charges reads: “That you, Chynna Samonte, sometime in December 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems organized to seriously destabilize and destroy the fundamental economic and social structure of Nigeria when you procured/employed Nigerian youths for identity theft and to hold themselves out as persons of foreign nationality.
With the intent to gain financial advantage for yourselves and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Ete) Act, 2015 (As amended 2024) and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
That of Ezechukwu reads: “That you, Chidera Ezechukwu, sometime in May 2025 at Lagos, within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, did retain the sum of N12,750,318.63 in your UBA account with account number 2330149541, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful act to wit,
“engaging in online dating scam and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 as amended and punishable under section 14(2) of the same Act.”
They pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them following which prosecution counsel, Anita Imo, S.I.Suleiman, H.U. Kofarnaisa and B.M. Isah asked the court to convict and sentence them accordingly and for all items recovered from them to be forfeited to the federal government.
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Justice Bogoro convicted and sentenced Eriba, Samonte, Fabian and Medina to one year imprisonment each or to pay N1,000,000.00(One Million Naira) fine, respectively.
In addition, he ordered the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS to ensure their deportation to their country of origin within seven days of their completion of their sentences.
Gbenga bagged one year jail term or to pay the sum of N700,000.00 fine, while Jotham, Olalekan, Ezechukwu, David, Ifeanyi and Oluchukwu were sentenced to one year imprisonment, each or to pay the sum of N500,000.00 fine.
In addition, the judge ruled that all items recovered from the convicts, including cars, communication devices and money be forfeited to the federal government.