A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt the Rivers State capital has convicted and sentenced an internet fraudster, Emmanuel Chisom Mbah, to two years in prison, for impersonation contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.Â
Mbah who was arraigned before Justice P.I. Ajoku, was jailed on Friday, July 21, after pleading “guilty” to a two-count charge preferred against him by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Â
One of the count reads: “That you, Emmanuel Chisom Mbah on or about January 3, 2021, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of $4,655 from Emmanuel Etou, Ajay Yadav and others under the pretext of being a forex trader, a pretext which to your knowledge was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.” In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, E. Abbiyesuku, urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
Consequently, Justice Ajoku convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year on each of the counts. The sentences are to run concurrently from the date of arrest, with N100, 000.00 as an option of fine.
The Judge also ordered that one Intel P15 and the sum of $4,655 recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Mbah was arrested by officers of the Nigeria Police, Mile 1, Port Harcourt during their anti-crime patrol sometime in April, and handed him over to the Commission for further investigation.
