EFCC said Agbroko was among five internet fraudsters convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment for fraud by Justice Ikonmwonba.
Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of Edo State High Court in Benin City, the state capital, on Tuesday, ordered the forfeiture of the sum of N120,284,986.28 found in the Keystone Bank account of a convicted fraudster, Oghenemine Agbroko to the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The court ordered that the money should be forfeited to the Nigerian government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for onward delivery to the nominal complainant, the FBI.
Confirming the development in a statement on Wednesday, EFCC said Agbroko was among five internet fraudsters convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment for fraud by Justice Ikonmwonba.
The anti-graft agency listed the other convicts as Kennedy Uwuigbe, Odiase Osariemen Christian, Collins Edobor and Ebichuwa Victory Ovie.
The convicts were arraigned separately on one count bordering on retention of proceeds of crime, personation and unlawful possession of fraudulent documents by the Benin Zonal Command of the EFCC.
The charge against Agbroko reads, “That you, Jeffrey Oghenemine Agbroko (m) on or about 12th November, 2021 in Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain the sum of N120,284,986.28 (One Hundred and Twenty Million, Two Hundred and Eighty-Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty six naira, Twenty Eight Kobo) in your bank account number 6033867739 domiciled in Keystone Bank Ltd knowing that same represent proceeds of your criminal conduct to wit: Cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.”
Similarly, the charge against Kennedy Uwuigbe reads, “That you, Kennedy Uwuigbe sometime between 2017 and 4th August, 2022 in Benin City, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did with intent to defraud represent yourself to be Luka Romero, a white man and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 48, Laws of Bendel State of Nigeria (As applicable in Edo State) 1976.”
The commission noted that upon arraignment, the defendants, now convicts, pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
“In view of their plea, the prosecution counsel, Francis A. Jirbo, F. O. Dibang and I. K. Agwai prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. However, the defence counsel, Pascal Ugbome, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as the defendants were first-time offenders who have become remorseful for their actions.
“Justice Ikponmwonba convicted and sentenced Agbroko and Collins Edobor to five years in imprisonment with an option of Two Hundred Thousand Naira fine each.
“The trio Uwuigbe, Christian and Ovie bagged three years imprisonment or a fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira each.
“The quartet of Uwuigbe, Christian, Edobor and Ovie are to forfeit the aggregate sum of N12,322.476.72 and $954.02 worth of Bitcoin, two Mercedes Benz cars, a Toyota Camry car, $2,000 and mobile phones, all being proceeds and instruments of crime to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the EFCC.”
The court has also ordered that the bank accounts used in committing the crime should be closed.