The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction of the duo of Redeem James and Chisom Okoye before Justice A.A. Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna on separate one-count charge bordering on internet fraud.
The Command, acting on intelligence reports, had arrested the duo at Abuja for alleged internet fraud–related activities.
Further investigation into the cases revealed that the defendants were using various social media apps to defraud unsuspecting victims of their hard-earned money.
The charge against James reads, “That you, Redeem James( aka Beaulah Nic) sometime in May, 2023 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an offence, to wit; falsely presented yourself as one Beaulah Nic(a white woman) on Instagram and in that assumed character cheated one Till Marcos the sum of $250(Two Hundred and Fifty USD) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law of 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law”.
The particulars of the count against Okoye read thus:” Chisom Okoye (aka Kelvin Mark Williams) and others now at large, sometime in January to May, 2023 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an offence, to wit; falsely presented yourself as Kelvin Mark(a white man from Houston), Texas, USA, to several unsuspecting victims including one zeliaquevedo via Gmail account km5464158@gmail.com and Instagram(a social media application) in a bid to lure them into love scam, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017”.
They pleaded guilty to the separate charges, prompting the prosecuting counsel, K.S Ogunlade to ask the court to convict them accordingly.
Justice Isiaka convicted and sentenced James to two years imprisonment with an option of a fine of N150,000.00. He was ordered to pay $250 as restitution.
Chisom was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment with an option of fine of N150,000.00
He is also to forfeit one Samsung Galaxy phone to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
