Fraud: Friday Osareren, 3 Others Bag 160Years Jail Term

Justice Adamu Hobon of the Federal High Court, Benin, on June 13, 2013 convicted and sentenced four fraudsters: Aimuamwehi Friday Osareren, Omorede Darlington, Iyokho Nosa and Agugba Chukwuemeka to One hundred and sixty years imprisonment.

The convicts were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on 18^th July, 2011 and 7^th December, 2011, on separate charges bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretences. While the first three convicts, (Aimuamwehi Friday Osareren, Omorede Darlington, Iyokho Nosa) were arraigned on an 11- count charge, the fourth, Agugba Chukwuemeka was prosecuted on a 2-count charge. They were however found guilty and convicted accordingly.

Justice Hobon convicted Aimuamwehi Friday Osareren on all the eleven charges and sentenced him to ninety eight years imprisonment. Omorede Darlington, and Iyokho Nosa got twenty one years jail term each. The fourth convict, Agugba Chukwuemeka who was prosecuted on a 2-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence and issuance of a dud cheque was convicted on both counts and sentenced to twenty years imprisonment. The convict is to refund seven million five hundred thousand naira (N7, 500,000,000.00) to the victim.

One of the charges against the first three convicts reads; “that you Aimuamwehi Friday Osareren, Omorede Darlington and Iyokho Nosa between the month of May and August, 2008 at Benin City within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: obtaining money by false pretence from one Cynthia Taylor, an American national and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8 (a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

A count in the charge against the fouth convict reads; “that you Agugba Chukwuemeka  between the month of November, 2009 and August, 2010 at Benin City within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of seven million five hundred thousand Naira (N7,500,000,000.00) only from one Emmanuel Agbongiague under the false pretence that the said sum of money would be used for the purchase of a property to wit: a house of five bedrooms, five toilets and a car park situated and lying at No. 7 Ahonore close, Uselu, Benin City, in favour of the said Emmanuel Agbongiague, facts which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006”.