10th September, 2024
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Independence Layout, Enugu, has sentenced Okwudili Joseph to two years imprisonment for fraud.
He was convicted on a charge of impersonation and cybercrime, brought by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the charge, Joseph impersonated Jim Warren, a gas detection specialist from the United States, in a fraudulent scheme aimed at gaining personal advantage.
His actions violated Section 22 (3) (a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, which is punishable under Section 22 (4) of the same law.
He pleaded guilty to the charge.
The prosecution, led by counsel Mohammed Shehu, presented the facts of the case and urged the court to issue a sentence.
In response, Joseph’s defence lawyer, G.C. Ugwele, requested leniency, arguing that Joseph had shown remorse and learned from his mistakes.
After considering both sides, Justice Umar sentenced Joseph to two years of hard labour, with the option of paying a fine of N200,000.
Joseph’s arrest by EFCC operatives on June 5, 2024, in Nike, Enugu, followed intelligence linking him to online fraud.
He confessed to the crime and provided a written statement.
Joseph’s conviction serves as a reminder of the legal consequences of cybercrime under Nigerian law.
