Federal High Court Sentences Yahoo Boy to One-Year Imprisonment

In a recent development, Justice O.A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has handed down a one-year prison sentence to Ukoh Michael Odeh. Odeh was convicted on a single count of fraud, a charge brought against him by the Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to a statement from the EFCC, the conviction stems from an intelligence report received by the Makurdi Zonal Command, indicating suspicious activities related to internet fraud in Makurdi. Subsequently, Odeh was apprehended in a sting operation.

The charge against Odeh was as follows:

"That you, Ukoh Michael Odeh, between 2022 and 2023 in Makurdi, Benue State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fail to account for the source of N6,000,000 (Six Million Naira) only in your account when you reasonably ought to have known or suspected that the said unaccounted funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity, to wit: Fraud and Money laundering and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 20(b) of the same Act."

Odeh pleaded guilty to the charge when it was presented to him. In response to his plea, the prosecuting counsel, M. Yusuf, requested that the court proceed with the conviction.

Justice Egwuatu subsequently convicted Odeh and sentenced him to one year of imprisonment, offering an alternative of a N300,000.00 fine. Additionally, the convict is mandated to forfeit N300,000.00 as restitution to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the EFCC.

Furthermore, Odeh is required to surrender an Infinix 7 smartphone, which was identified as proceeds of criminal activity, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

This sentencing serves as a reminder of the commitment to combat fraud and money laundering in Nigeria, with the EFCC actively pursuing those engaged in unlawful financial activities.