Woman jailed 5 years for assisting son in internet fraud

Debest Osarumwense, the mother of Endurance Osarumwense (the fraudster), was convicted by the country’s Federal High Court sitting in Benin City and presided over by Justice M. S. Shuaibu.

According to a Nigerian news website, Yabaleftonline.ng, Debest was arraigned by the Benin Zonal Command of the Commission on a one count charge for aiding her son to receive the sum of N91,296,150 being proceeds of her son’s internet fraud activities.

"That you, Debest Osarumwense (f) sometime between 2nd January 2020 and December 2021 in Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession of the total sum of N91,296,150.00(Ninety One Million, Two Hundred and Ninety-six Thousand, One Hundred and Fifty Naira) knowing that same represent proceeds of Endurance Osarumwense (your son) criminal conduct to wit: cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment) Act 2004," the charge sheet reads as quoted by the news website.

It is reported that Debest pleaded guilty to the charges proffered against her, and the prosecution counsel, I. K.Agwai prayed to the court to convict and sentence her accordingly.

The court agreed with the prosecutor and sentenced her with an option of a N1 million fine.

Aside from the above, she is also to forfeit the balance in her bank account to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Internet fraud is on the rise, with many unsuspecting people falling prey to scams day-in-day-out.

Debest Osarumwense Debest Osarumwense Pulse Ghana

In July last year, a Ghanaian internet fraudster made a lot of revelations, including how a friend of his who was into the same activity died after his ignorant mother killed a snake he turned into.

The man identified as Samson (pseudonym) made the revelations during an interview with SVTV Africa’s ‘Naked Truth’.

The fraudster disclosed how some of his friends who were doing the same criminal business had died because they disobeyed their spiritual (juju) consultants.

"Every game boy at Taifa, Mile 7 knows Makaveli. Dog sperm turned into a snake and his mother killed him, but she didn’t know. Taifa boys know this," Sampson recounted.

He explained that although their fraudulent activities are cyber-based, which involves scamming whites, they always seek spiritual backing that facilitates fast transactions between them and the victims of their fraud.

"You must not continue taking from one client for too long. After you get the money, move on to another person. The mallam will give you two or three months to make money from a client. So, you need to set a target and make that money before time is up. If you continue with the client, trouble," he revealed.

Sampson went further to disclose that they [fraudsters] are in league with some musicians and pastors who have offshore bank accounts to perpetrate the fraud and give them shares of the booties.

"I can mention some popular musicians who are in this game. Our clients send the money through their accounts and they take 20 percent. That is what they spend on flashy cars.

"We use NGO accounts, and churches are under NGO, so they are in this game with us. I don’t want to mention their names, but they are well-known pastors. Calculate 20 percent of 4 million dollars," he revealed.