WorldStage– The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, convicted 59 other foreign hackers and ordered each of them to pay the sum of N1 million.
Justice Ekerete Akpan, in his judgment, alternatively ordered them to serve a one-year jail term.
The judgment followed the convicts’ plea bargain deal with the Nigerian Police Force, the prosecuting agency.
The judge’s order came about two months after 21 of the 109 foreign nationals were convicted for the same offence after they opted for a plea bargain agreement.
Justice Akpan, while delivering the judgment on Tuesday, ordered the convicts’ deportation from Nigeria.
He also directed that all the gadgets used in the commission of the crimes should be forfeited to the Federal Government.
“I hereby sentence them as follow:
“Fine of one million naira each or one year imprisonment.
“All the convicts, being first time offenders, expressed remorse for their actions,” the judge said.
He held that the sentence was based on the parties’ agreement of N1 million fine each, against each of the defendants which shall be paid before their release.
The judge consequently adjourned the matter for the remaining 25 until Oct 22 and Oct. 23 for trial.
The 59 convicts were part of the 84 defendants remaining from the total of 109 facing trial after about 21 were recently convicted and deported from the country.
The I-G had, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/599/2024, sued the 109 foreigners and were arraigned on six counts.
The defendants, include nationals of China, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand, had pleaded not guilty to the counts and were remanded in correctional centres.
Justice Akpan had, on Nov. 29, 2024, admitted them to a N1 billion bail with five sureties each.
The judge, who granted them bail, directed that the five sureties must have a landed property worth N200, 000 million each.
Justice Akpan directed that the sureties must deposit the original and verified documents of their landed property with the deputy registrar of the court.
The judge also directed the sureties to deposit their international passports.
While the male defendants were remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre, the court held that the female defendants should be kept at Keffi Correctional Centre in Nasarawa State pending the perfection of their bail terms.
The defendants, who had met their bail terms, were, in 2024, arrested by the police.
They were apprehended in their residence at Plot 1906, Cadestral Zone 807, Katampe District of Abuja, where they were said to be engaging in cybercrime by allegedly promoting “a fraudulent and unregistered gaming platform.”
In the six-count charge, the foreigners were charged with cybercrime, money laundering and unlawfully residing in Nigeria, etc.
In one of the counts, they were alleged to have aided, abetted, conspired among themselves “to commit an offence, to wit; cybercrime.”
They were alleged to have commited the offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).
They were also alleged to have accessed a computer network and input with the intention that such inauthentic data will be considered or acted upon as If they were authentic or genuine.
The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 13 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).
Again, they were alleged to have removed “from Nigeria proceeds generated from operating a fraudulent and unregistered gambling platforms.
“These platforms are 9f.com, c2.top, 8pg.top and you thereby commit money laundering, contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
The defendants were also accused of entering “the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a business permit of 30 days duration and failed to leave the Nigerian territory at the expiration of the said permit.
The offence is contrary to the provisions of Section 4 (2) and punishable under Section 44 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 2015.”
