A Federal High Court in Onitsha, Anambra State, has convicted and sentenced 41 individuals to one-year imprisonment each for internet fraud-related offences.

This was disclosed in a statement on the website of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the convicts, who were arrested by the Enugu Zonal Command of the EFCC, pleaded guilty to charges including obtaining money by false pretence, possessing fraudulent documents, impersonation, and aiding in crime.

The statement read, “A Federal High Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra State, and presided over by Justices S. M. Shuaibu and Hauwa Inuwa have convicted and sentenced 41 internet fraudsters to one-year imprisonment, each.

“The convicts were jailed after they pleaded guilty to one-count separate charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, possession of fraudulent documents, personation, and aiding in committing an offence upon arraignment by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.”

Justice Inuwa was reported to have convicted and sentenced 27 of the convicts on Thursday, May 2, while the rest 14 were convicted on Friday, May 3.

The convicts who were sentenced on May 3 were said to have received the option of a ₦100,000 fine each.

The court further mandated community service for the convicts and ordered authorities to auction items seized during the arrests.

“The Justices also ordered that the convicts should be involved in community service in line with Section 462 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and ordered that items recovered from them, which include their mobile phones and laptops, be auctioned through the EFCC and proceeds paid into the Treasury Single Account, the statement added.

The statement listed the names of the convicts to include Douglas James, Raphael Uwakwe, Paul Kalu, Chisom Linus, Chiemezie Nweke, Eze Stanley, Ndubuisi Nwafor, Ifeanyi Samuel, Nwosu Chukwuemeka, Madueke Emmanuel, Edozie Timothy, Ahmed Lukman, Godwin Julius, Okafor Chiemerie, Ugochukwu Ena, Chukwuemeka Obiji, Chimaobi Gabriel, Abonyi Jude, Chiemelie Christian, and Okafor Desmond.

“Others include Jezreel Arihiakamah Chinwendu, Paul Okereke Chiadi, Peter Chidera Iwu, Onyeji Victor Chinecherem, Tochukwu Eze Solomon, Fred Chidera Okoye, Ezema Chiemerie Stanley, Emeka Ogbonna Daniel, Obinna Stanley Okafor, Udochukwu Peter Nnaewezie, Ebuka Johnson Olu, Okochi Ebuka Stanley, Promise Ogbodo Echezona, Ebuka Chukwu Joshua, Chisom Henry Udeagwueze, Ihechi Okechukwu Bright, Chibueze Maxwell Stephen, Ebuka Lucky Nwankwo, Isah Chinonso Peter, Ifeanyi Oguoke Kingsley, and Chinonso Eze Innocent,” it added.