Court sentences man to 6 months imprisonment for cyber fraud

Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court on Thursday sentenced a man, Godwin James, to six months imprisonment for internet fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kaduna Zonal Office, charged James with internet fraud.

Justice Khobo summarily tried and convicted James after James pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court to temper justice with mercy on him.

The judge, who did not give the convict an option fine, ordered him to forfeit all proceeds of the crime.

Khobo also ordered the convict to refund his victims 1,160 dollars and N200,000.

Earlier, the Counsel to the EFCC, E.K. Garba, told the court that James was arrested on Nov. 15, 2020 based on intelligence report received by the Intelligence and Special Operations Section (ISOS) of the EFCC Zonal office.

Garba said that the convict defrauded unsuspecting members of the public by using several identities with different email addresses to disguise as a foreigner.

The anti-graft agency said that the offence contravened the provisions 0f Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc).