Fifteen foreign nationals, including 11 Filipinos, two Chinese, one Malaysian, and one Indonesian, have been sentenced to one year imprisonment each by two judges of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, for crimes related to cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
Justices Yellin Bogoro and Alexander Owoeye delivered the rulings separately after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the defendants on various charges of cybercrime and fraudulent online activities. The convicted individuals were found guilty of accessing computer systems to destabilise Nigeria’s economy and using Nigerian youths for identity theft.
Those convicted are: Winnie De Jesus, Kayceelynn Remorin, Irish Chna, Darwisa Esmael, Kimberly Nisperos, Savien Cire Renovilla, Zeng Zerong, Guo Bin, Jessa Sanchi, Jhena Sarmiento, Rain Torida, Rex Jose Dilag (aka Madison), Tan Soon Kar, Fernando Fu Fang, and Beverlyin Gumayo (aka Veb Sumayo).
According to the EFCC, the suspects used various fake identities and recruited Nigerian youths to impersonate foreigners online in a bid to defraud victims, primarily for financial gain. The crimes are in violation of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended 2024), and the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.
One of the charges read: “That you, Winnie De Jesus and Genting International Co. Ltd, sometime in December 2024, willfully caused access to computer systems intended to destabilise Nigeria’s economic structure by employing Nigerian youths for identity theft, with the intent to gain financial advantage.”
Another count revealed that one of the convicts, Kayceelynn Remorin, fraudulently impersonated someone named “Anastacia Lim” in a scheme meant to deceive and defraud.
All 15 defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were read in court. The prosecution team, led by N.K. Ukoha, T.J. Banjo, and N.C. Mutfwang, then urged the court to convict them based on a plea bargain agreement reached with the EFCC.
The judges sentenced each convict to one year imprisonment with an option of a fine of N1 million. In addition, the court ordered that all digital devices and items recovered from the convicts be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Furthermore, the courts directed the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to ensure the repatriation of the convicts to their home countries within seven days after they complete their sentences.
This judgment marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to curb cybercrime, which has become a growing concern both locally and internationally. The EFCC continues to warn against foreign syndicates exploiting local youths for internet fraud and has vowed to intensify its fight against cybercriminal networks operating within the country.
