Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo state High Court sitting in Benin- City on Thursday sentenced two internet fraudsters: Eghaghe Etinosa and Osaretin Kelly to four years imprisonment, for defrauding their victims a total sum of N1, 321, 273,278.
They were arraigned on one –count separate charge by the Benin Zonal Command of the EFCC. Etinosa was docked for serving as a picker “aka Aza man,” (receiver of funds) for internet fraudsters. On his part, Kelly impersonated the identity of one Dottie Ayanda, a South African woman in order to defraud his victims.
Justice Ikponmwonba also ordered the forfeiture of a Toyota Hilux 2014 model, a land measuring 100 × 100 feet in a community in Benin, an Apple laptop, two iphone 13 recovered from Etinosa to the Federal Government of Nigeria while his Fidelity Bank account used in the commission of the offence be closed.
The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre started when operatives of the Benin Zonal Command of the EFCC arrested them in connection with internet-related offences. Further investigations showed that Etinosa was serving as a picker (receiver of funds) for internet fraudsters across the Benin-city environment while Kelly plied his own fraudulent activities by impersonating the identity of one Dottie Ayanda, a South African woman in order to defraud his victims.
