A convicted fraudster, Okwudili Joseph, has been sentenced to prison by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court, sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu. Joseph was found guilty of charges related to impersonation and cybercrime.
The case was brought against him by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The one-count charge stated that on June 5, 2024, in Enugu, Okwudili impersonated Jim Warren, a gas detection specialist from the United States, with the intent to defraud. This act contravened Section 22 (3)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and is punishable under Section 22 (4) of the same law.
Upon hearing the charge, Okwudili pleaded guilty. The prosecution counsel, Mohammed Shehu, presented the facts of the case, urging the court to convict him. Meanwhile, the defence counsel, G.C. Ugwele, appealed for leniency, stating that her client was remorseful and had learned his lesson.
After considering the arguments, Justice Umar sentenced Okwudili to two years imprisonment with hard labor. However, he was given the option to pay a fine of N200,000 instead of serving the prison term.
Okwudili’s legal troubles began when EFCC operatives arrested him on June 5, 2024, in Nike, Enugu, after receiving credible intelligence linking him to fraudulent online activities. During the investigation, he confessed to the crime.
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