Justice Abdul Dogo of a Federal High Court, sitting in Makurdi, Benue State Wednesday 17th November 2021 convicted and sentenced Ezekiel Jesse to three months imprisonment for fraudulently re-directing electronic funds transfer to the tune of Seventy-Five Thousand Naira (N75, 000.00) only.
The convict was prosecuted on a one-count amended charge. The count charge reads;
“That you, Ezekiel Jesse, on or about the 5th November 2019, at Makurdi, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently re-direct electronic funds transfer from Account No. 6156047011 domiciled with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), issued to Wisdom Arugwu Lawrence and did obtain the total sum of Seventy-Five Thousand Naira (N75,000.00) Only, in different tranches of airtime recharge, by the use of the electronic device and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 36(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act”
He pleaded ‘‘guilty’’ to the charge preferred against him.
Upon his plea, the prosecution counsel, Mary Onoja of the Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), reviewed the facts of the case and urged the court to convict and sentence him as charged.
Justice Dogo, after listening to the prayers of both parties, convicted and sentenced the defendant to three months imprisonment. The convict was however given an option of N50, 000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira) fine.
