A graduate of Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Ohenhen Victor Ikponwosa, and 10 others have been convicted and sentenced to prison for internet fraud.
The 26-year-old man and co-defendants were jailed on Tuesday by Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City.
The others are Iredia Junior Ehis, Awe Macdonald, Azanuwa Junior, Kelvin Akenuwa, Godspower Oghenekohwa, Collins Daniel, Junior Osarobo, Marvis Ogbodaga Osemudiamen, Jephthah Eromosele and Christopher Christian Dickson.
The 11 convicts were arrested by operatives of Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission following an intelligence on their nefarious activities in the area.
Subsequently, they were arraigned on separate one-count charges each bordering on possession of alleged proceeds of crime, false representation and unlawful possession of fraudulent documents.
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The offence is contrary to Sections 17(a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 17(b) of the same Act.
Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges prompting the prosecution counsel, I.M. Elodi, Salihu Ahmed and KY Bello to pray the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
The counsel to the defendants, however, pleaded with the court to be lenient as the defendants were first-time offenders who had turned a new leaf.
Justice Ikponmwonba thereafter convicted and sentenced Osemudiamen, Ikponwosa and Ehis to three years imprisonment with an option of Two Hundred Thousand Naira as fine.
The quartet of Akenuwa, Macdonald, Dickson, and Oghenekohwa bagged two years imprisonment with an option of One Hundred Thousand Naira fine while Eromosele, Oserobo, and Daniel were sent to three years imprisonment with an option of One Hundred Thousand Naira fine.
The judge sentenced Junior to two years imprisonment with an option of Two Hundred Thousand Naira fine. The judge also ordered that a Lexus RX 330 car and phones recovered during the investigation, being proceeds of crime, be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.