Two Internet Fraudsters Bag Three Years Imprisonment

Justice A.T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has convicted and sentenced Morgan Innocent Chinda (aka Richard Johnson Adams) and Joshua Pina to three years imprisonment, for internet-related offences.

They were jailed recently after pleading “guilty” to one- count separate charges bordering on impersonation and Internet fraud, upon their arraignment by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The lone charge reads Chinda: “That you Morgan Innocent Chinda (aka. Richard Johnson Adams) sometime in 2021, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court fraudulently impersonated one Richard Johnson Adams, an American citizen and pilot working with American Airways with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (IV) of the same Act”.

The charge against Joshua Pina reads: “That you Joshua Pina (aka Berry Williams) sometime in 2021, on or about 28th June 2021 at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court fraudulently impersonated one Berry Williams with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (IV) of the same Act”

In view of the pleas of the defendants, prosecution counsel, N.A. Dodo prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Justice Mohammed found them guilty as charged and consequently convicted and sentenced Chinda to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N 250,000), and Pina to one-year imprisonment, with an option of fine of Fifty Thousand Naira ( N50,000).

The judge ordered that the items recovered from the convicts at the point of arrest: iPhone 6S, iPhone 6 and Qukitel C 19 be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.