Nigerian man, Gift Kenneth, has been sentenced to jail alongside his mother and girlfriend for defrauding an American lady, Lucinda Ann Garnes Henrichson, of about $902,935 (about N371 million).
He and the two others – his mother, Dora Animam, and girlfriend, Spice Chimzi Dandy Igwe – were sentenced by Justice F. A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State, on Thursday, for internet fraud.
A statement by the Head, Media and Publicity, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Wilson Uwujaren said Animam and Igwe were arraigned on one count each by the Benin Zonal office of the commission for offences bordering on impersonation and obtaining by false pretences.
Kenneth was said to have disguised as one Raymond Carl Eric and in 2018 and 2019 lied to Henrichson of Texas, US, about an infrastructural investment project.
This was followed by the transfer of the money through various channels – Shuaibu Abdullahi and Dora Animam’s bank accounts.
His offences are said to be contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention, Etc ) Act 2015 and punishable under section 22 (2)(b)(IV) of the same Act.
Animam was said to have received the money with her Diamond and Access bank accounts.
According to the statement, she received $166,000 from Henrichson and N27 million from Abdullahi, thereby said to have committed an offence contrary to section 27(1)(b) and 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, Etc) Act ,2015 and punishable under section 22 (2)(b)(IV) of the same Act.
They all pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them, the EFCC said.
The prosecution counsel, Francis. A. Jirbo, therefore, prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
Justice Olubanjo convicted and sentenced both Gift Kenneth and his mother, Dora Animam to five years imprisonment or a fine of N3 million each while Spice Chimzi Dandy Igwe was sentenced to two years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000.
A Mercedes Benz 300, Mercedes Benz CL250, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone XX Max, Apple MacBook Pro, two Apple Mac books were said to have been recovered from Kenneth, along with a twin four-bedroomed uncompleted duplex in Asaba.
A sum of N4 million was also recovered and the victim, Henrichson was refunded the sum of $4,255, recovered from Kenneth’s contractor, through the US Embassy.
