Justice Babangana Ashigar of the Federal High Court, Ilorin has sentenced the duo of Abdullahi Ibrahim and Ezedigboo Paschal to four months imprisonment respectively without an option of fine for internet fraud.
The convicts were arrested in Agric Estate, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital sometime in February 2019 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), Ilorin Zonal Office, which separately prosecuted them on a one-count charge.
The charge against Ezedigboo reads: “That you, Ezedigboo Paschal(allas Frank Pethron or Frank Peth), sometime in January , 2019, at Ilorin, within the judicial division of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, falsely represented yourself to be one Frank Pethron or Frank Peth a white male Caucasian, vide Google account with email address: frankpeth009@gmail.com and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 484 of the Criminal Code Act.”
That of Ibrahim reads: “That you, Abdullahi Ibrahim (alias Denins Franklin), sometime in March, 2019, at Ilorin, within the judicial division of this honourable court, with intent to defraud one Kristie Johnson and others from the United State of American, falsely represented yourself, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 484 of the Criminal Code Act.”
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges following which
prosecution counsel,
Andrew Akoja urged the court to convict and sentence them in accordance with the plea bargain agreements they separately reached with the prosecution.