Unical Undergraguate Convicted For Internet Fraud

An undergraduate of the University of Calabar, Peter Againpriye, has been sentenced and convicted of internet fraud by a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.

The charge follows his arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's Port Harcourt Zonal Command.

An EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, announced on Tuesday that the charges include impersonation, obtaining money by false pretense, and possession of fraudulent documents.

Uwujaren said the crime was contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.

He further noted that Againpriye was convicted on Monday, July 17, 2023, after pleading guilty to the charges.

According to the statement, one of the charges read, “That you, Peter Againpriye (aka Diana Wilson) on or about March 6, 2023, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, within the jurisdiction of this court with intent to defraud, did obtain €3,000 from Keess Darr under false pretense that you were investing in Forex, which representation you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.”

The statement indicated that the convict was arrested in June 2023, in an operation tagged, Eagle Sweep, at Golf Estate, Port Harcourt.

Uwujaren said the investigation revealed that the convict was involved in internet fraud and opened several Gmail, Instagram, and Facebook accounts, and falsely presented himself as Diana Wilson in chats with Keess Darr, whom he defrauded.

The presiding judge, Justice E. A. Obile, convicted and sentenced the defendant to one-year imprisonment with an option of N50, 000 fine on each of the counts.

Furthermore, the judge ordered that the iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone XR recovered from the convict be forfeited to the government.

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