Siblings, 10 others jailed for fraud in Edo
Story by Jessica Mbamah
Two brothers, Teddy Hart and Rooney Hart, and 10 others were on Thursday convicted and sentenced to jail by Justice M. Itsueli of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City, for fraud.
According to a statement shared by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on X, the 10 other convicts were Thompson Ogbeide, Iria Blessed, Igbinomwania Godspower, Ojiezele Felix, Akhigbe Gideon, Osazuwa Oghomwen, Agbonifo Iziegbe, Lucky Osagie, Osemwegie Michael, and Victor Ojeisemi.
The convicts were prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, on separate one-count charges, which bordered on advance fee fraud, obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime and possession of fraudulent documents.
The charge against Teddy Hart read, “That you Teddy Ovbokhan Hart (m) on or about the 15th of August, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession, on your iPhone 12 with IMEI Number 359879850558150, documents which you knew or ought to have known contained a false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
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They all pleaded “guilty” to their charge, following which, the prosecution counsel, I. M. Elodi, K.Y. Bello, I. K. Agwai, Ibrahim Faisal, M. S. Dahiru, and Ibrahim Al-Amin asked the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
The defence counsel pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they have become remorseful for their actions.
Justice Itsueli convicted and sentenced Felix, Iziegbe and Osagie to two years imprisonment, each, or to pay a ₦300,000 fine, respectively.
He convicted and sentenced Ogbeide, Blessed, Godspower, Gideon, Michael and Oghomwen to two years imprisonment, each, or to pay a ₦200,000 fine, respectively.
He also convicted and sentenced Teddy and Rooney Hart to two years imprisonment, each, or to pay a ₦350,000 fine, respectively and convicted and sentenced Ojeisemi to two years imprisonment or to pay ₦150,000.
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“All the convicts forfeited their mobile phones and laptop computers, being the tools of their crimes and money found in their respective bank accounts, being the proceeds of their crimes, to the Federal Government and undertook in writing to be of good behaviour henceforth.
“The convicts’ journey to jail began with their arrest by operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, following credible intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities,” the statement added.
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