Justice M.S. Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Makurdi has sentenced seven fraudsters to various prison terms, while also ordering the forfeiture of N232,396,714, a hotel, and $4,977 to the federal government.
The convicted individuals; Tamaraudeinyefa Brakekebebe, Godday Brakekebebe, Terhemba Asagh, Nyiter Elijah, Ahmed Akindele, Kennedy Ayanger, and Hwande James, pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them.
Following their pleas, prosecuting counsel M. Yusuf, A.S. Idris, A. Gazali, K.T. Sunday, and Imadifon Igbinidu urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Tamaraudeinyefa Brakekebebe was sentenced to one year imprisonment or a fine of N500,000. He was also ordered to forfeit N102,750,246.00 found in his Zenith Bank account and N64,762,169.00 from his Access Bank account to the federal government.
Godday Brakekebebe received a three-year prison term or a fine of N500,000. He forfeited N56,633,246.00 from his Zenith Bank account and N200,929.00 from his Access Bank account.
Asagh, who impersonated an Asian soldier on Facebook to defraud victims of $300,000, was convicted and ordered to forfeit the Century Crip Inn Hotel in Gboko, which he built using the proceeds of his crimes.
The convicts were prosecuted by the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of criminal impersonation, money laundering, cybercrime, and obtaining money under false pretenses.
The other convicts faced similar sentences, including fines and forfeiture of funds recovered from their bank accounts.
The charges revealed a pattern of fraudulent activities, including the use of fake identities on social media platforms to deceive victims.
For instance, Asagh posed as a United Nations soldier to defraud unsuspecting individuals, while Tamaraudeinyefa Brakekebebe retained over N167 million in his bank accounts, which were traced to cybercrime proceeds.
In his ruling, Justice Abubakar emphasized the severity of the offenses, stating that the convicts’ actions not only violated the law but also eroded public trust in financial systems.
The forfeited funds and properties will be transferred to the federal government as part of efforts to recover illicit wealth and deter future crimes.
The EFCC, in a statement, hailed the court’s decision as a significant victory in the fight against cybercrime and financial fraud.
The commission reiterated its commitment to prosecuting economic and financial crimes and urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to relevant authorities.
This ruling underscores the judiciary’s resolve to hold fraudsters accountable and serves as a stern warning to others engaged in similar criminal activities.
