The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), through its Uyo Zonal Directorate, has secured the conviction of an internet fraudster, Ogagarojo Godstime, also known as Alex Gonzalex, before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State. The judgment was delivered on Monday, May 12, 2025, following Godstime’s arraignment on two counts bordering on cyber-related criminal impersonation.
According to court records, Godstime, in 2024, fraudulently posed as one “Marc Labelle” on social media platforms with the intent to deceive and obtain financial advantage. He was accused of taking possession of $400 (Four Hundred United States Dollars), being proceeds of his unlawful activity linked to cyber impersonation. His actions were found to contravene Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022, and are punishable under Section 18(3) of the same legislation.
Upon arraignment, the accused pleaded guilty to the charges, prompting the EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Khamis Mahmud, to request the court for a swift conviction. Mahmud further informed the court that the defendant had restituted the total sum obtained from his victim and urged the court to order the forfeiture of the iPhone 11 used in committing the offence to the Federal Government.
Justice Ojukwu, after considering the plea and facts presented, sentenced Godstime to 12 months imprisonment on each count, with both sentences to run concurrently. Alternatively, the convict was given the option of paying a fine of N800,000. The court also granted the forfeiture of the iPhone 11 device to the Federal Government as part of the sentence.
In a related development on the same day, three suspected cybercriminals and an alleged illegal foreign exchange operator were arraigned before Justice Sergius Onah of the Federal High Court, Uyo. The suspects, identified as Inemesit Asuquo Bassey, Franklin Edet Eyo, and Chukwudi Patrick Ahiahwo, are being prosecuted for alleged involvement in internet fraud, while the fourth defendant, Kassim Mohammed, was charged with operating a Bureau de Change business without a valid licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
During his arraignment, Kassim Mohammed pleaded guilty to the one-count charge filed against him. He was found in possession of various foreign currencies including the US Dollar, Philippines Peso, Japanese Yen, Swazi Emalangeni, Gambian Dalasi, and Chinese Yuan at the time of his arrest in Aba, Abia State, on May 17, 2024. The EFCC alleged that Mohammed had been engaging in financial services without being incorporated as a company or licensed by the apex financial regulatory body, thereby violating Section 57 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020.
Prosecuting counsel, Joshua Abolarin, urged the court to convict the defendant based on his plea and the facts tendered. He also requested that all foreign currencies recovered during the operation be forfeited to the Federal Government. The defence counsel, Chigozie Ogunji, did not contest the application.
Justice Onah, after hearing the submissions, adjourned the matter for judgment and ordered the remand of the defendant at the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Uyo pending sentencing.
These developments underscore the EFCC’s continued clampdown on cybercrime and illegal financial operations, reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding the financial system and upholding the integrity of Nigeria’s economic landscape.
