Former Fidelity bank worker jailed for online fraud

Juliana Francis

A former Fidelity bank worker, Kenechukwu Abaroh, has been jailed for online fraud.

Abaroh was arraigned before Justice A.A. Nwaobodo of the state’s High Court, sitting in Enugu on a one-count charge bordering on internet fraud to the tune of N440, 000 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Enugu zonal office on Wednesday.

The EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade, said that Abaroh was alleged to have used his experience to activate the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, USSD code of his victim’s account, using same to transfer N440, 000 to the bank account of Kingsley Umunna, who was also convicted on same day for same offence.

He had earlier pleaded “guilty” to the charge, when he was arraigned on May 6, 2019, prompting Justice Nwaobodo to reserve judgment to Wednesday.

Justice Nwaobodo convicted and sentenced him to three months imprisonment with hard labour. However, his sentence commences from the date of his arrest, February 4, 2019.

Similarly, Justice P.I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court, Ibadan Judicial Division, has convicted an internet fraudster, Adebimpe Babajide Quadri, a.k.a Angel and sentenced him to four months in prison.

Quadri, who hide under the name ‘Angel’ to dupe his victims online, was, on Wednesday found guilty of criminal impersonation in a one-count amended charge filed against him by the EFCC, Ibadan zonal office.

The offence, according to the charge sheet, was contrary to section 22 (4)(b) and punishable under Section 22(4) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015.

The convict was originally arraigned on April 15, 2019 on a four-count charge bordering on possession of documents containing false pretence, contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related (offences) Act, 2006 and obtaining money by false pretence contrary to Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related (Offences) Act, 2006. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He was, however, re-arraigned on Wednesday on a lone-count charge after entering into a plea bargain agreement with the Commission. He pleaded guilty to the amended charge.

Orilade noted: “In view of his plea, prosecuting counsel, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, urged the court to convict him accordingly.

The presiding judge then convicted and jailed him for four months. The four-month term, the judge ordered, will run from the date of his arrest – February 13, 2019. According to the judge, Quadri will also forfeit a sum of $400 USD. One Samsung phone and one black Techno k7 phone to the Federal Government.”