The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, has secured the conviction and sentencing of four Filipinos and seven Nigerians for cyberterrorism and internet fraud before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The convicted Filipinos are Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina, while the Nigerians are Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan, and Oghomienor Jotham.
They were prosecuted on separate charges bordering on cyberterrorism and internet-related offences.
One of the charges against Chyna Samonte read: “That you, Chynna Samonte, 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 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 in 2024) and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
A charge against Chidera Ezechukwu read: “That you, Chidera Ezechukwu, sometime in May 2025 in Lagos, within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, did retain the sum of N12,750,318.63 in your UBA account number 2330149541, which you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: engaging in online dating scams, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 (as amended) and punishable under Section 14(2) of the same Act.”
All the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them. Prosecuting counsel Anita Imo, S.I. Suleiman, H.U. Kofarnaisa, and B.M. Isah then urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly and to order the forfeiture of all items recovered from them to the federal government.
Justice Bogoro convicted and sentenced Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina to one year imprisonment each, with an option of a N1,000,000 fine. He also directed the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure their deportation to the Philippines within seven days of completing their sentences.
Gbenga Solomon was sentenced to one year imprisonment or an option of a N700,000 fine. Jotham, Olamilekan, Ezechukwu, David, Ifeanyi, and Oluchukwu were each sentenced to one year imprisonment or an option of a N500,000 fine.
In addition, Justice Bogoro ordered that all items recovered from the convicts, including vehicles, communication devices, and funds, be forfeited to the federal government.
