Justice Yellin Bogoro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, May 23, 2025, convicted and sentenced twelve Filipinos to one year imprisonment each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
The convicts are: Anjeanette Topacio, Gladys Joy Mag-Iba, Jean Calago, Shairah Mae Reyes, Roseann Gonzales, Lari Jane Tayag, Mary Grace De La Cruz, Krystel Aquilesca, Jonilyn Agulto, Paizza Camara, Vivian Pionella and Jonalyn Mendoza.
They were arraigned on Friday, May 23, by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on separate charges of possession of fraudulent documents.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Anjeanette Topacio, sometime in December 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems organized to seriously destabilize and destroy the fundamental economic and social structure of Nigeria when you procured/employed Nigerian youths for identity theft and to hold themselves out as persons of foreign nationality, with the intent to gain a financial advantage for yourselves and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As amended 2024) and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Another charge reads: “That you, Shairah May Reyes, sometime in December 2024, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, had in your possession a document containing false pretense, printed from your Telegram, wherein you posed to be a lady, living in the UK , which representation you knew to be false, thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 6 (8c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.”
They all pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them.
In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, N.K.Ukoha and H.U. Kofarnaisa, respectively, requested that the court convict the defendants as charged, in accordance with the plea bargain they had entered into with the Commission.
Justice Bogoro convicted and sentenced the defendants to one year imprisonment each, with a fine of N1,000,000.00( One Million Naira).
The judge also ordered the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Mrs. Kemi Nanna Nandap, to ensure that the convicts are repatriated to their country of origin within seven days upon completion of their sentences.
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The devices recovered from the defendants were also ordered forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
