Man bags 2 years jail for internet fraud

A man, James Dada Nicup, in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, has bagged a two-year jail term for committing internet fraud.

Nicup was convicted based on a two-count charge bordering on criminal impersonation with the intent to defraud.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Makurdi Zonal Office had secured the conviction of Nicup after he was brought before Justice Abdu Dogo of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi in Benue State.

The court earlier heard that Nicup between September 2020 and December 2020 in Makurdi unlawfully procured for use a Computer Programme to wit: a WhatsApp group link, which he posted on Facebook inviting interested persons to invest in Bitcoin through which he defrauded one Ademu Alexander Inalegwu for an aggregate sum of N111,900.

The offence was contrary to Section 28(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 28(2) of the same Act.

The convict pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him prompting the prosecution counsel, George Chia-Yakua, to ask the court to convict him accordingly.

Also, the defence counsel, D. M. Kwaghtser, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as he maintained that his client had become remorseful.

Justice Dogo, therefore, convicted and sentenced Nicup to one year imprisonment on each count with an option of N50,000 while it ordered First Bank to close down the account Number 314166765 he used and not to allow him open or operate any account within two years.