The Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of the proprietor of a cybercrime training centre in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Ikemesit Edet popularly known as Hustle Kingdom (HK).

A statement released yesterday by EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said Edet was jailed on Wednesday after pleading guilty to two-count charge bordering on impersonation, love scam, hacking/editing of social media accounts and private criminal tutoring, upon his arraignment by the Uyo Zonal Command of the Commission.

Count one reads: “That you IKEMESIT EDET IK sometime in January, 2024 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, being the occupier and a person concerned with the management of the premises situates and lying at No. 57 D-Line, Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo Akwa Ibom State, did knowingly permit the use of the entire aforesaid premises as a CYBERCRIME ACADEMY, also known as Hustle Kingdom (HK) where you recruited ten (10) young Nigerians between ages 16-25 and taught them cybercrime techniques for perpetrating cyber crimes to wit: hacking, impersonation, and obtaining money by false pretence (Advance Fee Fraud) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 3 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 3 of the same Act.”

Count two reads: “That you IKEMESIT EDET IK between May 2020 and December 2023 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court did take possession total sum of Fifteen Million Naira Only (-N=15,000,000.00) which you knew forms proceed of an unlawful act to wit: Cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)\d) of the Money laundering (Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”

Edet pleaded guilty to both counts, prompting prosecution counsel, Joshua Abolarin, to pray the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

Abolarin also prayed the court to order the forfeiture of all exhibits recovered from him at the point of arrest.

However, defence counsel Francis Ezike prayed the court to be lenient in sentencing the defendant.

After listening to the lawyers, Justice Ojukwu convicted Edet and sentenced him to five years jail term on each count, with an option of fine of N2 million on each count.

The court also ordered that all recovered exhibits from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The exhibits include 13 laptop computers, a gold-coloured Toyota Corolla, a Lexus Jeep RX 300 and about 3,080.25 square metres of land located at Ibiaku Obio Ndobo village, Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Edet’s journey to jail commenced on January 22, 2024 when investigators from the EFCC’s office in Uyo acted on intelligence and arrested 10 suspects at his Cybercrimes Training Centre at D-Line Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo.

All the suspects have been charged to court and convicted. (The Nation)

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