• A fake Etisalat staff has been sentenced to 404 years imprisonment for crimes bordering on conspiracy and fraud.

Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki has convicted and sentenced a job scammer, Emeka Anaga, to a total of 404 years imprisonment, for conspiracy and fraud.

Justice Aluko, gave the verdict through zoom while delivering judgment on a separate charge filed against the convict by the Abakaliki Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

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The convict was arraigned in Abakiliki, Ebonyi State division of the Federal High Court, in 2018 and 2019, where Justice Aluko was formerly sitting, on 39 and 6 counts charges marked FHC/AI/8c/2019 and FHC/AI/62c/2018, respectively.

In the charges, Emeka Anaga and one Barrister Ken, said to be at large, were accused of fraudulently obtaining various sums amounting to N37, 805 million, from one Innocent Nwanchukwu, Managing Director of IB. Nwachukwu Enterprises, under the false pretense of securing a contract for him to install mast and sell fuel to same at different locations in the country.

The convicted criminal (Emeka Anaga), had introduced himself as a staff of Etisalat telecommunications Limited now 9Mobile, and that he was capable of securing them a contract to supply fuel to all telecommunication companies. He was also accused of forging MTN’s Identity card.

In the two charges, the Anaga was alleged to have defrauded his victims of various sums running to millions of naira.

The prosecutor, Rotimi Ajobiewe, had told the court that the offenses committed by the convict, contravened Sections 8(a); 1(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and were punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. And Section 2(C) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, 2004, and punishable under the same Section of the Act.

The convict had pleaded not guilty to all the count charges, on his arraignment in 2018 and 2019, respectively. And he was admitted to bail on various terms, but was unable to perfect bail.

Delivering judgment on the charges, Justice Aluko convicted the accused in all 39 counts on the charge marked FHC/AI/8c/2019, except on counts one to four, 29, and 34. The judge also convicted him on count one of the charge marked FHC/AI/62c/2018.

Following the Judge’s pronouncement on the convict, his counsel, O. Okorie, in his allocution, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing his client.

Okorie also appealed to the court, to consider the period his client had spent in custody and urged the court to remove such from the jail terms.

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After listening to the counsel’s submission, Justice Aluko while pronouncing the sentence on the charge marked FHC/AI/8c/2019, held that the convict is sentencedd to 12 years imprisonment in 33 out 39 count charges, without an option of fine.

The judge also held that the period the convict already spent in prison custody shall be computed and deducted from the terms of imprisonment in respect of all the counts. And that sentences and terms of imprisonment to be served by the convict in all the counts shall run concurrently and not consecutively.

The judge also ordered the convict to make restitution of the sum of N37, 805 million, fraudulently obtained from Innocent Nwanchukwu, the Managing Director of IB. Nwanchukwu.

On the charge marked FHC/AI/62c/2018, Justice Aluko held that: “I have listened to the plea of allocutus made for the convict. I have taken into account all the aggravating and mitigating factors highlighted in sections 311, 401 and 416 of the Administration Justice Act.

“By the combined effect of the provision of sections 1 (c) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, the offence in count 1 of the charge attracts imprisonment for a term of not more than 20 years and not less than 7 years without the option of a fine.

“Having considered the plea of allocutus of the convict and taken into account of all the factors and highlights emphasized in the provisions of sections 311, 401 and 416 of the ACJA, the convict is hereby sentenced to eight (8) years imprisonment on count 1.

“The period the convict already spent in prison custody shall be computed and deducted from the terms of imprisonment he is meant to serve.”