The High Court in Lagos on Friday sentenced another group of foreign nationals to one year in prison each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
Justices Yellin Bogoro and Alexander Owoeye, sitting in separate cases, convicted a total of 15 foreigners after they all pleaded guilty. The convicted individuals include 11 Filipinos, two Chinese, one Malaysian and one Indonesian.
The convicts are: Winnie De Jesus, Kayceelynn Remorin, Irish Chna, Darwisa Esmael, Kimberly Nisperos, Savien Cire Renovilla, Zeng Zerong, and Guo Bin. Others include Jessa Sanchi, Jhena Sarmiento, Rain Torida, Rex Jose Dilag (also known as Madison), Tan Soon Kar, Fernando Fu Fang and Beverlyin Gumayo (also known as Veb Sumayo).
The judges directed the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure that the convicts are repatriated to their home countries within seven days of completing their prison terms.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of all electronic devices recovered from the convicts to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
With this ruling, the number of convicted foreign nationals has risen to 33. Last Friday, Justices Chukwujekwu Aneke and Yellin Bogoro sentenced 18 others in separate trials.
The convicted individuals had initially pleaded not guilty but later changed their pleas as part of a plea bargain arrangement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
They are part of a larger group of 193 foreign nationals arrested during a surprise EFCC operation in December 2024, known as “Eagle Flush Operation”. The raid took place at a seven-storey building named Big Leaf Building on Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
In total, 792 suspects were detained in connection with global cybercrime activities involving cryptocurrency fraud, internet scams, money laundering, and romance fraud.