Man Sentenced For N200,000 Airtime Fraud

A Federal High Court sitting in Nasarawa State has sentenced one Akende Gbande Mark for defrauding victims of an aggregate sum of N211,300 airtime.

Naija News reports that Akende was sentenced on Tuesday after he was arraigned by the Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a one count charge of fraud.

According to the EFCC, Mark did an airtime transfer of the aggregate sum of N211,300 from an Access Bank Account No. 3024934975 belonging to one Danjuma Bello between July and September, 2020 in Makurdi.

He (Mark), transferred the money to his Airtel line No. 08166413766 using an unauthorized access device and thereby committed an offence, the Commission noted.

The charge sheet reads: “That you, Akende Gbande Mark sometime between July and September, 2020 in Makurdi, Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did transfer airtime in the aggregate sum of N211,300 from Access Bank Account No. 3024934975 belonging to one Danjuma Bello to your Airtel line No. 08166413766 using an unauthorized access device and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 33(2b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act. 2015 punishable under the same Act”.

The defendant had pleaded guilty to the charge read to him, and upon his plea, the prosecution counsel, M. Yusuf prayed the Court to convict and sentence him as charged.

Justice Afolabi convicted and sentenced Mark to pay a fine of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) or serve a prison term of four months.

The judge also warned him to desist from any criminal act forthwith.