Eric Patrick
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, has secured the conviction and sentencing of 15 foreign nationals for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
The convicts—11 Filipinos, two Chinese, one Malaysian, and one Indonesian—were each sentenced to one year imprisonment by Justices Yellim Bogoro and A.O. Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
They were arraigned on Friday on separate charges bordering on possession of fraudulent documents.
The EFCC disclosed the convictions in a statement shared on its official X handle (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.
The convicted individuals are: Winnie De Jesus, Kayceelynn Remorin, Irish Chna, Darwisa Esmael, Kimberly Nisperos, Savien Cire Renovilla, Zeng Zerong, Guo Bin, Jessa Sanchi, Jhena Sarmiento, Rain Torida, Rex Jose Dilag (aka Madison), Tan Soon Kar, Fernando Fu Fang, and Beverlyin Gumayo (aka Veb Sumayo).
One of the charges reads:
“That you, Winnie De Jesus and Genting International Co. LTD, sometime in December 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, willfully accessed computer systems organized to seriously destabilize and destroy the fundamental economic and social structure of Nigeria by procuring/employing Nigerian youths for identity theft, and causing them to pose as foreign nationals, with the intent to gain financial advantage. You thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
All the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges.
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Following their pleas, prosecution counsel N.K. Ukoha, T.J. Banjo, and N.C. Mutfwang urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
The Judges subsequently convicted each defendant and sentenced them to one year in prison with an option of a N1 million fine.
In addition, the court directed the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to ensure the deportation of the convicts to their countries of origin within seven days of completing their jail terms.
The Judges also ordered that all devices recovered from the convicts be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
