The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Enugu Zonal Office on June 18, 2021 secured the conviction of one Emmanuel Umahi (a.k.a Eddy Morem), a student, before Justice I.M Buba of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu, Enugu State on one count charge bordering on Criminal impersonation with the intend to defraud.
The charge reads, “that you Emmanuel Umahi sometime in June 2021 in Enugu within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated @eddy_morem, a citizen of Croatia, using an Instagram Account, with intent to obtain money from unsuspecting foreign nationals and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(3) (a) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(4) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him prompting the prosecuting counsel, Michael Ani to ask the court to convict him.
Justice Buba in his judgment decried the incidence of cybercrimes, saying “This court takes cognizance that cyber crimes is on the increase. No nation will develop if its youths continue in crime. This court warns the defendant to desist from cyber crime or face the maximum consequence when next he appears before this court.”
The judge sentenced Emmanuel Umahi to 2 years imprisonment with an option of N150, 000(One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) fine.
