The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Benin Zonal Office, today, March 27, 2019 secured the conviction of an internet fraudster Usifor Ehis (alias Liu Wei) before Justice M.G.Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State.
Ehis was convicted on a one count charge of impersonation after he pleaded guilty to the charge. He was said to have impersonated the identity of one Liu Wei on a dating site with intent to obtain money from Miss Mandy Leung, a Taiwanese.
The count reads: that you Usifor Ehis (alias Liu Wei) sometime in 2018 in Uromi, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did fraudulently impersonate the identity of one Liu Wei on a dating internet site to one Miss Mandy Leung from Taiwan which identity you claimed to be your own with intent to obtain money from her, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section (22)(2)(b)(IV) of the same Act.
In view of the plea of the defendant, the prosecution counsel, Aso Larry Peters urged the court to convict the defendant accordingly as contained in the plea bargain.
However, the defence counsel O.V. Ekamre pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, claiming that the defendant has become remorseful and has promised never to return to the crime. She also told the court that the defendant has an aged mother who depends solely on him for survival.
Justice M.G.Umar convicted the defendant and sentenced him to two (2) months imprisonment. The defendant is also to forfeit all assets traced and recovered from him to the victim through the Federal government of Nigeria as proceeds of crime.