… As Police intensify efforts to rescue 3 kidnapped persons in Osun***
Justice Peter Mallong of the Federal High Court Kaduna, on Monday, sentenced one Thomas Austin to six months in prison over $20,000 internet fraud.
Austin was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Office and sentenced after he pleaded guilty to the charges.
Justice Mallong sentenced the convict to six months imprisonment, with a fine of N100,000.
“This sentence is to serve as a deterrent and punishment for the offences he committed knowingly,” the judge held, and warned him not to indulge in any further act of criminality.
Mallong also ordered that the draft of $20,000 brought by the convict as restitution and the phone recovered from him, being the instrument used in perpetrating the crime, should be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Earlier, Counsel to the EFCC, E.K. Garba, told the court that the agency received anonymous petition from some concerned citizens in Malali Kaduna, about the activities of some internet fraudsters.
Garba said that the commission swiftly placed surveillance on the area and on February 18, raided a place leading to the arrest of the defendant and other suspects.
He told the court that an iPhone and the sum of $20,000 were recovered from the convict.
The counsel said that the offence was contrary to Section 321 and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code.
In respect of the guilty plea, Garba urged the court to sentence Austin in accordance with the law.
Also read: Court jails audacious painter 12 months, for stealing police officer’s phone!
In the meantime, the Police Command in Osun on Monday said it was intensifying efforts to rescue the three travelers kidnapped in Ife-Ilesha, Osu, Atakumosa West Local Government Area of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Osun, SP Yemisi Opalola, said the police were already on trail of the kidnappers and closing in on them.
Opalola said the incident which happened on March 26 was reported to the police the following day, adding that police operatives had been deployed and were on the trail of the kidnappers.
She said the kidnappers had made contact with the family of one of the kidnapped victims.
“The matter was reported to the police in Osu Division on Friday by one Tanko Haruna, said to be Seriki Hausa of Iyere community.
“He said someone called him on the telephone that his brother, Usman and two others had been abducted.
“He also said the kidnappers were requesting for ransom before they would release his brother.
“Police officers are however working hard to rescue those abducted and arrest the perpetrators,” she said.
When contacted, the Seriki Hausa of Iyere Community said the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N50 million, but they were still negotiating with them.
