The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Makurdi Zonal Office on Friday secured the conviction of one Ikechukwu Sunday Onovo, for ATM fraud.
Onovo was convicted by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, on a one-count amended charge.
A press release signed by the head of Public Affairs in the zone, Nwanyinma Okeanu in Makurdi, stated that the Commission had arrested, investigated and taken Onovo before the court.
The charge preferred against him read: “That you, Ikechukwu Sunday Onovo, on or about the 19th day of April, 2019 at Makurdi, in the Makurdi judicial Division of the Federal High Court did steal an electronic card to wit: A Union Bank Debit Card issued in the name of Mukhtar Ali with Account No. 0046285378 and withdrew the sum of N390,000.00 from the said account and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 33(3) of the Cybercrime (prohibition prevention Etc.) Act, 2015.”
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According to Okeanu, Onovo entered into a plea bargain with the Commission, and was arraigned on the one-Count amended charge that replaced the initial charge against him.
He pleaded “guilty” to the charge.
In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, Mary Onoja, urged the Court to accept the plea bargain and convict him accordingly.
Justice Olajuwon pronounced him guilty and convicted him accordingly. He also ordered that the convict should pay a fine of N500,000 (Five hundred thousand Naira) to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The convict also returned the cumulative sum of N390,000.00 as restitution to the victim.
The Court also ordered that he forfeits his Peugeot 406 with registration Number Kano AR 163 FGE, and chassis number 845780 to the Federal Government as proceeds of crime.
Meanwhile, the court ordered that he be remanded in prison custody pending the payment of his fine.
