Court orders forfeiture of cars, iPhones seized from internet fraudsters to Nigerian Govt

A Kaduna High Court on Wednesday ordered the forfeiture of a Toyota Camry 2006 model, Mercedes benz GLK 2010 model, iPhone XR and iPhone Pro Max, seized from two internet fraudsters to the Federal Government.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had charged the fraudsters, Godwin Pascal and Carlos Nathan, with internet fraud.

Delivering judgment, Justice Dairus Khobo also sentenced Pascal and Nathan to two years imprisonment.

Justice Khobo however gave the convicts an option of N100,000 fine each.

Earlier, the Counsel to EFCC, P. C. Onyeneho, told the court that the convicts belonged to a syndicate of fraudsters operating in Barnawa and environs in Kaduna.

He said that the convicts posed as Katie Geoffery, a female from the United States, and struct a relationship with one Jimmy Michael.

The EFCC counsel called a witness and tendered some documents to prove the case.

Items tendered included: Toyota Camry 2006 model, Mercedes Benz GLK 2010 model and iPhone XR and IPhone Pro Max, the defendant’s statement, consent to search devices form, certificate of compliance and scam documents printed from the defendants’ Instagram account.

The prosecutor stated that the convicts committed an offence punishable under sections 1(1) and 319 of the Penal Code.

Relying on the documents tendered and the witness testimony, the prosecution prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants as charged.

Counsel to the defendants, B. J. Francis, did not oppose the prayers by the prosecution, but urged the court to temper justice with mercy.