EFCC Secures Conviction of Cybercrime Training Centre Proprietor in Uyo

The Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully convicted and sentenced Ikemesit Edet, also known as Hustle Kingdom (HK), the proprietor of an Uyo Cybercrime Training Centre.

Edet was sentenced on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, after pleading guilty to two-count charges including impersonation, love scam, hacking/editing of social media accounts, and private criminal tutoring. He was arraigned by the Uyo Zonal Command of the Commission.

The charges against Edet included permitting the use of his premises as a cybercrime academy, where he recruited and taught young Nigerians cybercrime techniques such as hacking, impersonation, and obtaining money by false pretense. He was also charged with possession of proceeds of unlawful activities.

Edet pleaded guilty to both counts, leading to his conviction by Justice Ojukwu.

He was sentenced to five years imprisonment on each count, with an option of a fine of N2 million on each count.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of all exhibits recovered from Edet at the point of arrest, which include 13 laptops, a gold-colored Toyota Corolla, a Lexus Jeep RX 300, and about 3,080.25 square meters of land located at Ibiaku Obio Ndobo village, Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Edet’s arrest and subsequent conviction were part of the EFCC’s crackdown on cybercrime. His arrest followed the arrest of 10 suspects at his Cybercrimes Training Centre in Uyo, all of whom have been charged to court and convicted.