Fraudsters Bag 7 Years Imprisonment Over N18 Million Fraud
Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal high court in Lagos on Thursday convicted and sentenced two fraudsters, Usen Akpan and Ukpai Onyike, who specialise in using Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to defraud banks customers to five years imprisonment.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had accused the duo of defrauding different bank customers to the tune of over 18 million Naira within a period of two years.
Justice Buba handed down the verdict after holding that the EFCC had been able to prove its case beyond all reasonable doubt against the convict.
The convicts were arraigned on a five count charge of impersonation, conspiracy obtaining ATM cards of Union Bank customers under the cyber crime act.
Counsel to the commission, Ekene Iheanacho had told the court in the cause of the trial that Akpan and Onyike were arrested at a Union Bank branch in Ibadan, Oyo State, while in the process of obtaining an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card of another unsuspecting customer of the bank.
The convicts had all pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned on October 7, 2016 thereby setting the stage for their trial.
In the course of the trial, the prosecution presented six witnesses and tendered relevant documents, which were all admitted in evidence.
Justice Buba convicted and sentenced the first convict to five years imprisonment with an option of fine of N4 Million, while the second convict was sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of N2.5 million fine.
