In a landmark judgment, a Federal High Court in Lagos today convicted and sentenced four Filipino nationals and eight Nigerians for their involvement in cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
Justice Yellim Bogoro delivered the verdict. The four Filipinos were among 729 suspects apprehended during a large-scale raid in December 2024 on Oyin Jolayemi Street, Lagos.
That operation specifically targeted individuals suspected of participating in a sophisticated Ponzi scheme and cyber-terrorism operation.
The four Filipino nationals convicted are Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina.
The eight Nigerians convicted alongside them are Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan, Chinecherem Michael, and Oghomienor Jotham.
The defendants had faced charges of cyber-terrorism, internet fraud, and money laundering, brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC prosecution counsel, Mrs. Anita Imo, along with Mr. Suleiman I. Suleiman, Mr. H.U. Kofarnaisa, and Mr. B.M. Isah, informed the court that Chynna Samonte intentionally accessed computer systems in December 2024 in Lagos.
The alleged intention was to destabilise Nigeria’s economic and social structure by recruiting young Nigerians for identity theft schemes.
These schemes reportedly involved impersonating foreign nationals to defraud innocent victims.
The prosecution also told the court that proceeds from the operations were traced to various bank accounts, including a sum of N12.7 million retained in the UBA account (No. 2330149541), of one of the Nigerian convicts Chidera Praise Ezechukwu, in May 2025, in Lagos.
The commission said Ezechukwu
reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity specifically, online dating scams.
According to EFCC, the offences committed contravened Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and Sections 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 (as amended), and punishable under Section 14(2) of the same Act.
All the 12 convicts pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them. Justice Bogoro in his judgment found all twelve convicts guilty and convicted them accordingly.
The prosecution urged the court to order the forfeiture of all exhibits recovered from the convicts.
The court sentenced each of the four Filipinos to one year imprisonment with an option of N1 million, fine, each.
Justice Bogoro, said: “The Nigeria Immigration Service is hereby directed to repatriate the foreign convicts to their country of origin (Philippines) within seven days of completing their prison terms.
“Gbenga Shittu Solomon is hereby sentenced to one year in prison with an option of N700,000 fine.
“Oghomienor Jotham, Chinecherem Michael, Ibraheem Olamilekan, Chidera Ezechukwu Praise, David Okezie, Egwenum Ifeanyi, and Favour Oluchukwu, are hereby sentenced to one-year prison each, with the option of paying N500,000 in lieu of their prison sentence”.
The judge also ordered the forfeiture of all vehicles, devices, funds, and other items recovered from the convicts to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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