Kaduna courts’ jails one for misappropriation, Richard Miller, Rose Kelly for internet fraud

Stanley Ihedigbo

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has secured the conviction and sentence of Benjamin Apagu, Francis Dung Yusuf (a.k.a Richard Miller), and David Bini Semen (a.k.a Rose Kelly) before Justices Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, and R.M Aikawa and Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court, sitting in Kaduna.

According to the Head, Media & Publicity, EFCC, Mr. Dele Oyewale, they were prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the EFCC on separate one-count charges. Apagu’s charge bordered on misappropriation and obtaining by false pretences while those of Yusuf and Semen bordered on impersonation, retention of proceeds of crime, and obtaining by false pretence.

Apagu’s charge reads: “That you, Benjamin Apagu sometime in October 2022 in Kaduna, Kaduna State within the jurisdiction of the honorable court, dishonestly misappropriated certain property to wit: the total sum of N1,919,000.00 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Nineteen Thousand Naira) belonging to one Benedict Yashim Bakut and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 293 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law,2017 and punishable under Section 294 of the same law.”

That of Yusuf reads: “That you, Francis Dung Yusuf (a.k.a Richard Miller),(M) sometimes in 2024 at Jos, Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, retained the total sum of Five Hundred United States Dollars ($500,00USD) which you acquired from one Cathy Rinaldi, when you falsely presented yourself as Richard Miller, which funds, forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and you 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.”

They all pleaded “guilty” when the charges were read to them, upon which prosecution counsel M.E Eimonye urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Justice Khobo convicted and sentenced Apagu to 10 years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N300,000.00. In addition, he restituted the sum of N1,919,000.00, the proceeds of his crime to his victim.

In addition to their prison terms, Yusuf and Bini forfeited the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 7 mobile phones, respectively to the federal government. Both internet fraudsters were among the 34 arrested by the Commission in Jos, Plateau State in June 2024.