Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday sentenced a man, Emmanuel Elegbenosa Aitanu, to five years imprisonment for laundering proceeds of cybercrime amounting to $42,000, cryptocurrency assets, and over N37 million in Nigerian currency.

Aitanu’s conviction followed a six-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under Charge No: FHC/L/416685/25.

Prosecution counsel, Bilkisu told the court that the defendant and others, including a fugitive accomplice identified as Peter Cruz, conspired in 2017 to divert funds into a fraudulent Citibank account named “DLP Designs East Coast.”

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According to the EFCC, the illicit proceeds were subsequently converted to cryptocurrency and funnelled into Nigerian bank accounts, adding to Aitanu used portions of the funds to purchase luxury vehicles and land in Lagos.

The court heard that Aitanu retained 265.8269 BTC in a crypto wallet, N20 million in a Zenith Bank account, and spent N17 million on a white 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300.

The prosecution informed the court that the convict bought a grey Toyota Corolla and acquired a plot of land located at Ineh Oil, Ikota Village (Ojomu Chieftaincy Family Land) in Eti-Osa Local Government Area.

The offences, according to the EFCC, violate Sections 18(2)(a) and 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and Sections 27 and 36 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

In his judgment, Justice Dipeolu ordered the forfeiture of the vehicles, the Ikota Village land, $42,000, and all traced crypto assets and bank funds to the Federal Government.

The Enugu Police command has foiled a robbery attempt, neutralised one suspect, and recovered firearms, ammunition, and other exhibits from the crime scene.

The Command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed in a statement on Friday that the incident happened around 4:10 a.m. on Aug. 6 in Enugu.

Ndukwe stated that a distress call alerted the Independence Layout Police Division to a robbery in progress at Premier Layout, Enugu.

Responding swiftly, the Divisional Police Officer mobilised police operatives and members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group to the scene.

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On sighting the operatives, the gang opened fire. The team returned fire, killing one suspect. Others escaped. The dead suspect’s identity is unknown.

A search of the area and the suspect’s body yielded a cut-to-size locally made single-barrel gun and one live cartridge.

Also recovered were a locally fabricated Beretta pistol, one live round of ammunition, and a Nokia torch-button phone belonging to the suspect.

Other items included two iPhones belonging to victims, a red-and-black torchlight, a small red bag, and ₦9,000 in ₦1,000 notes.

READ ALSO:Enugu Court Remands Ritualist, Two Others, For Kidnapping, Murder

Ndukwe added that further investigations on Friday led to the recovery of a pump-action gun with four live cartridges.

The weapon was found abandoned near the scene and is believed to have been left by fleeing gang members.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Mamman Giwa, praised the operatives’ bravery and professionalism during the operation.

READ ALSO:Man Jailed Seven Years For N11.4m Enugu Land Fraud

He reaffirmed the command’s determination to tackle violent crime and maintain public safety across Enugu State.

He urged residents to stay alert and share credible information to support proactive policing efforts in their communities.

Residents should report incidents to the nearest station, call 08032003702 or 08086671202, or contact the Command Centre via 112.

Justices H.H. Kereng and Abdulhamid Yakubu of the Gombe State High Courts 2 and 3, sitting in Gombe, have convicted and sentenced six men to various jail terms for fraud.

The convicts, Maigari Abba, Joseph Samuel Bulus, Kasheaure Joseph, Emmanuel Dilibe, Livite Ibrahim, and Awolowo Martins, were jailed on Wednesday, after being arraigned on separate one-count charges bordering on breach of trust, cheating, and impersonation by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

This is contained in a statement by the EFCC on Friday, noting the convicts’ arrest followed intelligence on their activities, after which they were apprehended and prosecuted.

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One of the charges against Bulus reads,”That you, Joseph Samuel Bulus, sometimes between 2024 and 2025, at Gombe, Gombe State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, dishonestly impersonate one Peter Elis, by pretending to be a former Kings Guard in the UK, creating and operating fake Facebook and TikTok accounts and luring unsuspecting individuals to deliver money to you (mostly via gift cards) and in the process gained to your advantage the sum of $1,500 (One thousand Five Hundred Dollars) and thereby committed an offence contrary to 321 and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code Law.”

Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges, prompting prosecution counsel S.E. Okemini and A.B. Kware to urge the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. Defence counsel, however, pleaded for leniency.

Justice Kereng sentenced Abba to six months in prison or a fine of ₦60,000, while Martins bagged six months or a fine of ₦50,000.

READ ALSO:Accountant Jailed 15 Years For Defrauding Oyo Job Applicants

Justice Yakubu handed Bulus, Joseph, Dilibe, and Ibrahim 24 months’ imprisonment each, with an option of ₦50,000 fine.

The courts also ruled that the ₦2.8 million recovered during investigation, being proceeds of crime, should be used to restitute the victims.

It was stated that One laptop and five mobile phones seized at arrest were forfeited to the Federal Government.
(PUNCH)