Onukwugha Favour, Lawrence David, and Omoghan Destiny Igbinosa were found guilty and given prison terms by Judge Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Warri.
They were each charged with impersonation and acquiring money under false pretence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC.
Igbinosa, a prisoner who was charged with impersonating Nollywood actor Ninalowo Bolanle in Benin City, Edo State, somewhere between 2021 and 2022, provided false documents to Newon Quanon online with the intention of benefiting himself.
The offence is punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(IV) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 since it violates Section 22(2)(b)(i).
The second defendant, Favour, who was accused with the same offence, was found guilty of forging documents under the alias Mariah 1812, a citizen of the United States, and transmitting them to unwitting recipients.
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The accused entered a guilty plea.
Defense attorneys A.J. Onwuanaje and Dickson Egberume begged the court to balance justice with mercy while prosecution attorney I. M. Elodi appealed for the court to find them guilty and punish them.
Igbinosa was given a two-year prison term or a N1 million fine by Justice Abang, and he also ordered him to forfeit $2,235 and his phone to the federal government.
In addition to losing their phones, Favour and David received a one-year sentence each and a fine of N500,000 and N200,000, respectively.
