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Internet fraudster to spend 1yr in prison, forfeit N29.2m to govt

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Ex-police Corporal out on bail nabbed for another armed robbery

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday secured the conviction of an internet fraudster, Chibundu Anuebunwa, who was sentenced to one year imprisonment by the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja.

The trial judge, Justice Mojisola Dada, who also gave Anuebunwa the option of paying a fine of N1.5 million, ordered the forfeiture of the sum of N29.2 million found in his possession by the EFCC to the Federal Government.

The convict was charged on two counts of conspiracy to steal and retaining of stolen property.

Counsel to the EFCC, I. A. Mohammed, had told the court that the anti-graft agency received a petition dated July 10, 2019, from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States of America.

The petition, Mohammed noted, revealed that the convict and his brother, Princewill Anuebunwa, still at large, were involved in business email compromise fraud, romance scams, mystery shopper fraud and tax fraud.

These, he said, contravened sections 328(1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

The convicts counsel, A. A. Adetunji, in his allocutus, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing him.

“My Lord, the convict before you today was never arrested by the EFCC. He went to their office on his own accord, he is a family man, remorseful and has learnt from his mistake,” he pleaded.

In sentencing Anuebunwa, Justice Dada said, “The defendant did not waste the time of the court and being a first-time offender, he is hereby sentenced to one year imprisonment or an option of fine of N1.5m.

“The defendant must forfeit the sum of N29.2m found in his possession to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

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