Two internet fraudsters, Ike Eusta-Prince Eziomume and Victor Pius Nnaegbo, have been sentenced to two years in prison each by a Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State.
Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie handed down the sentence on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, after both men pleaded guilty to separate two-count charges of money laundering and obtaining money under false pretences.
The prosecution, led by Khamis Mahmud of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Uyo Zonal Directorate, established that both men knowingly took possession of illicit funds obtained from their victims between 2024 and 2026. Specifically, Eziomume was charged with illegally possessing $200 and €260, while Nnaegbo was found in possession of €530.
Following their guilty pleas, the prosecution reviewed the facts of the case and urged the court to sentence them accordingly. The defence counsel, Douglas Besong, did not contest the facts but pleaded for leniency.
After listening to both sides, Justice Oghoghorie ordered both men to return the stolen money to their respective victims and forfeit all the electronic gadgets used to commit the crimes.
For his role, Ike Eusta-Prince Eziomume was sentenced to a two-year jail term, though the judge offered him an option to pay a fine of ₦500,000. He must still return the full $200 and €260 to his victims.
Victor Pius Nnaegbo also received a two-year prison sentence, but with a higher fine option of ₦1,000,000, and was ordered to return the €530 to his victim.
The convicts were tracked down and arrested earlier this month during EFCC operations in the Umuahia and Aba areas of Abia State, on May 5 and May 12, 2026, respectively, before being transferred to Calabar for prosecution.
