The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of four Filipino nationals and seven Nigerians for cyberterrorism and internet fraud-related offenses.
Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, delivered the judgment on Friday following separate charges filed by the EFCC against the defendants.
The Convicted Individuals
The convicted Filipino nationals are Reyna Mae Eriba, Chynna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina. The Nigerian convicts include Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan, and Oghomienor Jotham.
According to court documents, each defendant was arraigned on individual charges relating to cyberterrorism, identity theft, and internet fraud.
Details of the Charges
One of the charges revealed that Chynna Samonte was accused of accessing computer systems with the intent to destabilize Nigeria's economic and social structures. She allegedly recruited Nigerian youths for identity theft and impersonation schemes aimed at financial gain.
Her actions violated Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In another case, Nigerian national Chidera Ezechukwu was charged with retaining N12,750,318.63 in a UBA account, funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an online dating scam. He was charged under Section 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 (as amended).
All defendants pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them.
Court Sentences
Following their guilty pleas, Justice Bogoro sentenced the four Filipino nationals—Eriba, Samonte, Fabian, and Medina—to one year imprisonment each or a fine of N1,000,000.00.
The court also directed the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure their deportation to the Philippines within seven days of completing their respective sentences.
Among the Nigerian convicts, Gbenga Shittu Solomon received a sentence of one year imprisonment or a fine of N700,000.00. The remaining Nigerian defendants—Jotham, Olamilekan, Ezechukwu, David, Ifeanyi, and Oluchukwu—were each sentenced to one year imprisonment or an alternative fine of N500,000.00.
Additionally, Justice Bogoro ordered that all items recovered from the convicts, including vehicles, communication gadgets, and funds, be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The prosecution was led by counsels Anita Imo, S.I. Suleiman, H.U. Kofarnaisa, and B.M. Isah, who urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
This conviction highlights Nigeria's ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime and protect its citizens from financial fraud schemes that have become increasingly sophisticated in recent years.
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