In response to accusations of cyberterrorism and online fraud, the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State, has sentenced four Filipino women to prison.
After the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought charges against the foreigners, they were sentenced.
On Friday, June 13, Justice Yellim Bogoro found the defendants—Reyna Mae Eriba, Chynna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina—along with seven other Nigerians guilty.
Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan, and Oghomienor Jotham are among the Nigerian prisoners.
Somonte was charged with recruiting young Nigerians for identity theft and impersonation when he was arrested on separate charges. This was accomplished by breaking Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022 and Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as revised in 2024) by gaining access to computer systems nationwide.
The judge imposed a one-year jail sentence or a N1,000,000.00 fine on Eriba, Samonte, Fabian, and Medina for their guilty pleas to all of the allegations brought against them by the EFCC.
The Nigerian Immigration Service was also ordered by the court to deport the foreigners right away.
The Nigerian government was also ordered to surrender all of the recovered devices and the revenues of the crimes.
