Footballer bags 12 years jail term for fraud in Ilorin
A professional footballer in Ilorin, Kwara State, Jacob Wisdom Chukwuemeka has been handed a 12 years jail term for offences related to internet fraud.
Chukwuemeka , was jailed by Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Wednesday.
The footballer had pleaded guilty to two-count charges bordering on possession of fraudulent funds, owing to his arraignment by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Count one of the charge reads:
“That you, Jacob Wisdom Chukwuemeka between 6th May 2021 and 22nd April 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 and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17 (a) and (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004”
Consequently on his plea, prosecuting counsel, Aliyu Adebayo, prayed the court to convict and sentence him as charged.
In his judgment, Justice Sani, sentenced Chukwuemeka to three years imprisonment on count one and two respectively, which are to run concurrently. He was, however, given an option of fine of N792,454.00 on count one, and N300,000 on count two. The i-phone 11 he used to commit the crime and a draft of N250,000 were forfeited to the Federal Government