Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State has convicted and sentenced two cyber criminals: Adolor Ikpomwosa, a.k.a Olivia Dockrey and Idaah Precious Idaah, a.k.a Katrina Jade, to one year, six months imprisonment for criminal impersonation with intent to defraud.
They were convicted on Wednesday, June 1, 2022 after pleading guilty to one-count separate charge bordering on fraudulent impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, preferred against them by the Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The lone-count charge read: “That you, Idaah Precious Idaah, aka Katrina Jade, sometime in March, 2022 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to obtain property and gain advantage for yourself, fraudulently presented yourself as Katrina Jade to one Joseph Killoran and defrauded her the total sum of Five Hundred US Dollars ($500) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the same Act”.
In view of their pleas, Counsel to the EFCC, Joshua Abolarin prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Ojukwu convicted and sentenced Idaah to one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N700, 000.00(Seven Hundred Thousand Naira). He was also ordered to restitute the sum of $500( Five Hundred Dollars) to his victim through the EFCC and forfeit the sum of Six Million Naira (N6,000,000) being proceeds of crime in his UBA account to the Federal Government through the EFCC. Ikpomwosa was convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment from the date of arrest, or pay a fine of Five Hundred Thousand Naira only (N500, 000.00). The convicts were also ordered to forfeit all instruments used in committing the crime, and undertake to be of good behaviours.
The convicts started their journeys to the Correctional Centre when they were arrested by operatives of the Uyo Command of the EFCC at different locations within Calabar, Cross River State. Their arrests followed intelligence reports worked upon by the EFCC. They were later prosecuted and convicted.
