Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has convicted a man, Uchenna Nwosu, for defrauding an American, Carmen Alvarez, of $500.
Justice I. M. Sani sentenced Nwosu to six months in prison for internet fraud, impersonation and obtaining money under false pretence.
Nwosu was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Port Harcourt Zonal Office on April 11 on three-count charges of internet fraud, impersonation and obtaining under false pretences.
One of the counts read: “That you UCHENMNA SAMUEL NWOSU (alias Jackson mendez) on or about February 2019, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court had in your possession (your email address:jacksonmendez180@gmail.com) documents containing false pretence which you knew or ought to know contains false pretence and thereby committed an offence or an attempt to commit an offence contrary to section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
Nwosu pleaded guilty after initially denying the charges.
Prosecutor, Samuel Chime, prayed the court to convict him after he changed his plea.
Nwosu was sentenced to six months imprisonment on each of the three charges which will run concurrently.
The court also ordered him to restitute the $500 he collected from his victim.
He will also forfeit a laptop, Lenovo T410, recovered from him, to the Federal Government.
