Two brothers, Teddy Ovbokhan Hart and Rooney Odion Hart and 10 others were on Thursday, August 28, 2025 convicted and sentenced to jail by Justice M. Itsueli of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City for fraud.
The 10 other convicts are: Thompson Ogbeide, Iria Saturday Blessed, Igbinomwania Lucky Godspower, Ojiezele Felix, Akhigbe Gideon, Osazuwa Oghomwen, Agbonifo Iziegbe, Lucky Osagie, Osemwegie Efosa Michael and Victor Ojeisemi.
They were prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on separate one-count charge, bordering on advance fee fraud, obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime and possession of fraudulent documents.
The charge against Teddy Hart reads: “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.”
They all pleaded “guilty” to their charge, following which 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, while 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 N300, 000 (Three hundred Thousand Naira) fine, respectively. He convicted and sentenced Ogbeide, Blessed, Godspower, Gideon, Michael and Oghomwen to two years imprisonment, each or to pay N200, 000 (Two hundred Thousand Naira) fine, respectively. He also convicted and sentenced Teddy and Rooney Hart to two years imprisonment, each or to pay N350, 000 (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) fine, respectively and convicted and sentenced Ojeisemi to two years imprisonment or to pay N150,000 (One hundred Fifty Thousand Naira) fine.
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 began with their arrest by operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, following credible intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities.
