Music Producers, Others Jailed For Impersonating American Military Personnel


…Convicts Beg For Forgiveness, Say This Is Our First Time

Two music producers, Obot John Aniedi and Odok Valentine Metun, who were arrested in September for alleged internet fraud, have been convicted and given a three-month jail term in Calabar, Cross River State.

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Obot and Odok were convicted and sentenced on Thursday alongside Williams Peter Obinna and Okoro Edwin Chigozie by Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar.

The quartet was prosecuted by the Uyo zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement on Friday that Obot and Odok were arrested on September 11, at their residence located at 3 Ring Road, Shelter Afrique, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

He added that Williams and Okoro were however, arrested on September 8, in their apartment located at “Sight and Services” within “World Bank” in Ugwuma town, Owerri, Imo State.

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Uwujaren disclosed that their arrest followed intelligence received in the zone, concerning their involvement in various cyber crimes.

According to him, “investigation reveals that while some of them set up various fictitious accounts on Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB), an Asian-American dating website, others impersonated American military personnel , to defraud their victims. They all admitted to the crimes.”

One of the separate count charge for which they were convicted reads: “That you Okoro Edwin Chigozie (aka Afando Stevens) on or about the 8th day of September, 2020 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to obtain property and gain advantage for yourself, did fraudulently impersonate and presented yourself to Eloisa Vasquez as Afando Stevens (a supposed American military officer) on social media platform (Facebook) and obtained the sum of One hundred and fifty American Dollars ($150) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (3) (a) & (b) of the Cyber Crime (Prohibition, Prevention  Etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (b) (iv) of the same Act”.

They pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them by the EFCC.

In view of their pleas, Joshua Abolarin, counsel to the EFCC, informed the court of the plea bargain agreements entered between them and the prosecution, and urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

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Counsel to the defendants, Innocent Eze, Arit Robert, C. O. Ijom and Friday Solomon, informed the court that the convicts were first-time offenders and prayed for leniency.

Delivering judgment, Justice Amobeda convicted and sentenced them as follows; Okoro, Odok and Obot were sentenced to three months imprisonment each with an option of fine of N200,000, while Williams was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N200,000.

He ordered that their mobile phones and laptops should also be forfeited to the Federal Government.

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