Justice
D.
E.
Osiagor
of
the
Federal
High
Court
sitting
in
Ikoyi,
Lagos
has
convicted
and
sentenced
nine
Chinese
to
one
year
imprisonment
each
for
cyber-terrorism
and
internet
fraud.
The
convicts
are:
LI
Dong,
Deng
Wei
Qiang,
Huang
Bo,
Xiong
Zhen,
Lai
Rui
Feng
,
Zhao
Xiao
Hui,
Lui
Hai
Rong,
Lui
Gang and
Du
Ji Feng.
They are among the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024 in Lagos during a sting operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” conducted by EFCC operatives.
They
were
subsequently
arraigned
on
one
–count
separate
charges
of
cyber-
terrorism
and
internet
fraud
in
February,
2025
by
the
Lagos
Zonal
Directorate
2
of
the
Economic
and
Financial
Crimes
Commission,
EFCC,
Okotie-Eboh,
Ikoyi,
Lagos.
The
charge
reads:
“
That
you,
LI
Dong,
Deng
Wei
Qiang,
Huang
Bo,
Xiong
Zhen,
Lai
Rui
Feng
,
Zhao
Xiao
Hui,
Lui
Hai
Rong,
Lui
Gang and
Du
Ji Feng,
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.”
They
initially
pleaded
“not
guilty”
to
the
charges
when
they
were
read
to
them.
However,
during
the
sitting
on
Thursday,
June
5,
2025,
they
changed
their
“not
guilty
plea”
to
“guilty.”
In
view of
their
pleas,
the
prosecution
counsel,
Nnaemeka
Omewa,
prayed
the
court
to
convict
and
sentence
them
accordingly.
Responding,
the
defence
counsel
agreed
with
the
submission
of
the
prosecution
and
prayed
the
court
to
accept
the
same.
Consequently,
Justice
Osiagor
convicted
and
sentenced
each
of
the
defendants
to
one
year
imprisonment
starting
from
the
date
of
arrest
on
December
10,
2025,
with
a
fine
in
the
sum
of N1,000,000
(One
Million
Naira
(N1,000,000.00)
each.
The
Judge
further
ordered
that
upon
completion
of
their
prison
sentence,
the
Comptroller
General
of
Immigration
should
ensure
that
they
are
repatriated
to
their
country
of
origin
within
seven
days.
The mobile phones, computers, laptops and routers seized from them at the time of arrest were ordered forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Head, Media & Publicity
June 10, 2025
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