By Mike Ojo/Lagos
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday have convinced convicted and sentenced 14 Chinese nationals of cyber-terrorism and Internet fraud.
Justice Daniel Osiagor rendered the judgement after the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC informed the court that parties have embrace plea bargain agreement.
Spiff Owede and Temitope Banjo urged the court to accept the plea bargain agreement and caused the plea of the defendant to be taken.
The convicts are: Su Zong Gen, Li Zhong Chang, Chen Gui Ping, Li Xiang Long, San Feng Zhang, Jia Yang, Jia Zhi Hao, Liu Chuang, Yu Hai Ging, Zhao Xiao Liang, Dai Li, Tao Kun, Mao Bu Yi and Zhao Zi Cheng.
They are among the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024 in Lagos during a sting operation tagged ‘Eagle Flush Operation’ conducted by EFCC operatives.
They were arraigned on separate charges bordering on cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Su Zong Gen, sometime in December 2024 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, willfully caused to be accessed computer system for the purpose of destabilizing and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024]”.
They initially pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them. However, during Friday’s sitting, they all changed their “not guilty plea” to “guilty.”
In view of this, prosecution counsel, prayed the court to convict them accordingly.
Responding, the defence counsel Segun Bello agreed with the submissions of the prosecution.
Thereafter, the judge convicted and sentenced them as charged.
All the defendants were sentenced to one year imprisonment, with a fine of N1,000,000.00 (One Million Naira).
The judge also ordered that upon completion of their sentences, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, should ensure that they are repatriated to their country of origin within seven days.
Justice Osiagor ordered the forfeiture of the items recovered from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
