Man Bags One Year for Online Fraud in Makurdi

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Makurdi zonal office, on January 29, 2020, secured the conviction of one Abdulkadir Musa Inna before Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court, sitting in Makurdi, Benue State.

Trouble started for him when he was arrested by operatives of the EFCC in Lagos through a petition received from a complainant. The complainant had stated that on September 6, 2019, she ordered for a gadget online through her Instagram account, and transferred the sum of N30,000 to the account number sent to her, but the product was never delivered to her.

Later, she realized she has been duped by an online syndicate of fraudsters that use several accounts to defraud innocent people.

During investigation, the convict admitted his wrongdoing, and showed remorse for his actions. He confessed that N30,000 was given to him as his share in the business deal and refunded same.

He was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on fraudulent impersonation.

The count reads: “That you, Abdulkadir Musa Inna and one Aliyu Musa Mohammed, now at large, sometime in September 2019, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to use a GTB ATM card belonging to Aliyu Musa Mohammed to withdraw money paid in by one Abigail Atsuku that resulted in her loss of N30,000. By this act, you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 33(2) of the Cybercrime (prohibition, prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under section 33 (2) of the same Act”.

He pleaded “guilty” to the charge.

Prosecuting counsel, G. G. Chia-Yakua, urged the Court to accept a plea bargain agreement entered in between the prosecution and the defence, and to convict him, accordingly.

Justice Olajuwon, thereafter, pronounced him guilty and subsequently sentenced him to one year in prison with an option of fine of N50,000.

The judge further held that the sum of N30,000 that he had refunded during the course of investigation should be paid to the complainant as restitution.

You may have missed

Leave a Comment