The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced nine Chinese nationals to one year imprisonment each for their involvement in cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
The convicted individuals, Qin Xiao Yong, Luo Mao Yang, Liu Ni Ni, Liu Gang, Sun Qi (also known as Wan Jin Ping), Zhang Juan, Li de Wen, Fun Min, and Tan Ming, were found guilty by Justice D.E. Osiagor on Monday.
They were among a syndicate of 792 suspected cryptocurrency investment and romance fraudsters arrested on December 19, 2024, during a sting operation codenamed Eagle Flush Operation, conducted by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The defendants were arraigned in February 2025 by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC on a one-count charge bordering on cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.
One of the charges read, “That you, Qin Xiao Yong, Luo Mao Yang, Liu Ni Ni, Liu Gang, Sun Qi (a.k.a Wan Jin Ping), Zhang Juan, Li de Wen, Fun Min, Tan Ming, sometime in December, 2024 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: cause to be accessed computer system used for the purpose of destabilising and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 (1) (b) and punishable under Section 18(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015.”
Initially, the defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charge, but during proceedings on Monday, they changed their plea to “guilty.”
In response, prosecuting counsel R.A. Abdulrasheed urged the court to convict them accordingly.
In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, R.A. Abdulrasheed, prayed the court to convict them accordingly.
Justice Osiagor subsequently sentenced each of the nine convicts to one year imprisonment, effective from the date of their arrest on December 10, 2024, with a fine of N1,000,000.
The judge also directed the Comptroller General of Immigration to ensure their repatriation to China within seven days of the judgment.
Furthermore, all items recovered from the convicts at the time of their arrest, including mobile phones, laptop computers, and internet routers, were ordered forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Leave a Reply