Student Bags One Year Imprisonment for Internet Fraud

Justice A. T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has convicted and sentenced an internet fraudster, Lucky Victor Chinonso, who is also a student, to one-year imprisonment for impersonation contrary to Section 22(2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.

He was jailed on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, after pleading “guilty” to the two count charge preferred against him by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Prosecution counsel, K. A. Yunus prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant in line with his plea.

Counsel to the defendant, S. N. Nule urged the court to temper justice with mercy as the defendant is a student and first time offender with no previous criminal record.

Justice Muhammed convicted and sentenced the defendant, to one year imprisonment on counts one and count two with Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000.00) option of fine or three months community service at the premises of the EFCC Port Harcourt Command.

In addition, the Court ordered that one iPhone 11Pro Max and one Vivo mobile device recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The convict was arrested by the operatives of the Commission on the 28th July, 2022 at Eneka Link Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Investigation revealed that the convict operated a Gmail account with the name Angel Williams which he used in defrauding his victims through romance scam