Court sentences 3 ‘Yahoo boys’ to jail in Abuja
Three ‘Yahoo boys’ – Emeka Anyanechi Ekene, Anthony Oghuma and Onokebhagbe Okouromi Franklin – have been sentenced to jail by the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi, on Tuesday.
The convicts – 27, 26 and 25 years of age respectively – had been found guilty of defrauding unsuspecting victims of their monies.
The EFCC said its investigations show the boys had been buying exotic cars and living lavishly at a residence in River Park, Abuja.
Ekene was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on cheating, and for specializing in baiting and defrauding his victims through a Facebook account.
Oghuma was arraigned on a one-count charge, bordering on obtaining by false pretence. He was said to have deceived a Canadian named David, into transferring N2 million to him.
Franklin, on his part, was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, for deceiving a New York-based divorcee named Mary, while posing as Peter Mark, a Contractor based in Malaysia.
He swindled Mary of $10,000 (about N3.6million) and lured her to send him several expensive gadgets including: Apple Macbook Laptop, Apple Iphone X, Apple Iphone 7, amongst others.
All three men pleaded guilty to the charges.
The judge, Justice D.Z. Senchi expressed disappointment in their acts.
“We don’t have any other country. It has been done. What will be the impression of the victim, when you go out there and introduce yourself as a Nigerian? How would you feel if you were in the shoes of the victims?” Senchi said, before pronouncing his judgment.
He subsequently sentenced Oghuma to 12 months imprisonment, with an option of N500,000 fine. He also ordered him to forfeit the N2 million he fraudulently obtained to the FG.
Senchi sentenced Franklin to three months imprisonment without an option of fine, while he sentenced Ekene to six months imprisonment with an option of N250,000 fine.
