Kwara Footballer Bags 12-year Jail for Internet Fraud

A professional footballer, Jacob Chukwuemeka, has been convicted and sentenced to six years’ imprisonmentafor offences bordering on Internet fraud and possession of fraudulent funds.

In a statement, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said the convict was jailed by Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State.

He was said to have pleaded guilty to two counts bordering on possession of fraudulent funds.

The charges read in part, “That you, Jacob Wisdom Chukwuemeka, between May 6, 2021, and April 22, 2022, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, did retain the control of the gross sum of N792,454.00  in your bank account number 3137249795 with the name: Jacob Wisdom Chukwuemeka domiciled with First Bank Plc, which you knew to be proceeds of criminal conduct, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17 (a) and (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.”

He pleaded guilty to the charges.

The prosecution counsel, Aliyu Adebayo, prayed the court to convict and sentence him as charged.

Justice Sani sentenced Chukwuemeka to three years’ imprisonment on counts one and two, respectively, which are to run concurrently.

He was, however, given a fine option of N792,454 on count one and N300,000 on count two.

The iPhone 11 he used to commit the crime and a draft of N250,000  were forfeited to the Federal Government.

In addition, the court ordered the convict to restitute his victim the sum of N524,454, being the balance of the proceeds of his fraudulent dealings against him.