By Ologeh Joseph Chibu
The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) marked a significant victory on Tuesday.
Two internet fraudsters were convicted and sentenced.
Identified as Omachile Gabriel (also known as Priest Tamara Shane) and Micah Njawindumai (known as Edgar David, Oldmangt, Professional Hacker), they faced Justice J.K Dagat of the Federal High Court in Maiduguri on separate one-count charges related to money laundering.
Gabriel’s charge stated: “That you, Commander Omachile Gabriel (alias Priest Tamara Shane) with National Identification Number (NIN): 86288294866 on or about the year, 2023 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did directly take possession of sum of about $30.00 (Thirty United State of America Dollars) only being value of multi crypto which you reasonably ought to have known that the funds form part of proceeds of an unlawful act of impersonating Priestess Tamara Shane and thereby commit an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
Both defendants pleaded guilty to their charges.
In response, EFCC Counsel Faruk Muhammad requested the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Subsequently, Justice Dagat handed down four-year prison terms to each convict. He also ruled for the forfeiture of the recovered $30.00 to the victim through the Federal Government of Nigeria, along with other seized items such as phones and laptops, which were to be forfeited to the government.
The conviction stemmed from the defendants’ involvement in internet-related crimes, leading to their arrest, trial, and subsequent imprisonment.
