Justice Maurin Oyetenu of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has convicted and sentenced three internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
They were jailed on Monday, July 21, 2025 after pleading guilty to separate count charges bordering on internet fraud upon their arraignment by the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The convicts are Emmanuel Okwa, Felix Akaninyene Tom and Ubok Ubong Edet.
One of the charge reads: “that you, Emmanuel Okwa (aka Jennifer Aniston) “M” sometime in 2024, in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently presented yourself as Jennifer Aniston on the social media with intent to gain advantage for yourself, did take possession of the sum of One Thousand Five Hundred United State Dollars ($1500) knowing that the money formed part of the proceed of an unlawful act to wit; cyber impersonation and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act”.
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them, prompting the prosecution counsel, Joshua Abolarin to review the facts of the case and prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
However, defence counsel, Sampson Awuje, Metti Monday Ukpeh and Nyebu Johnson prayed the court for lesser sentences for the defendants.
After listening to the prosecution and the defence lawyers, Justice Oyetenu convicted the trio and sentenced them as follows; Emmanuel Okwa bagged one year imprisonment or to pay a fine of Two Million Naira (N2, 000, 000.00) and to forfeit his Iphone and Samsung mobile phones to the Federal Government.
Felix Akaniyene Tom and Ubok Ubong Edet were each sentenced to six months jail term or pay a fine of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000.00) each. They were ordered to forfeit the following; two phones, Techno Camo 18 Spark and Techno Pro 10 Spark, which are to be sold and the funds deposited in the EFCC’s Proceeds of Crime Account.
All the convicts bagged their imprisonment when they were arrested by operatives of the EFCC for internet crimes. They were charged to court and convicted.
