MALAPPURAM: In what could be a first-of-its-kind judgment, the Manjeri Chief Judicial Magistrate Court has sentenced two Nigerian citizens to seven years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and imposed a fine of Rs 1,25000 for internet fraud.Johnson Nwanonyi and Michel Obiorahmuozboa, both hailing from Anambra state in Nigeria, were sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment each under Sections 420 and 426 of the IPC. They were also sentenced to two years RI under Section 56 (b) of the Information Technology Act of Kerala.It is for the first time that foreigners are being penalised under the IT Act for financial fraud in the state. Announcing the verdict, Chief Judicial Magistrate V Dileep said that the convicts may undergo the prison terms together, making it seven years.According to the charges filed by the Karipur police, the duo posted an advertisement in the web inviting applications from interested persons to take a share of $15 million from the will of a dead Nigerian business man to start a charitable hospital. When Dr C C Thomas, hailing from Valluvambram in Malappuram district, responded to the advertisement, they tricked him to paying Rs 30 lakh as processing fee.But a planned move by the police and the doctorsucceeded when the Nigerians were lured into Kerala in March 2010. They were then arrested by the Karipur police. The strong evidence based on which the prosecution presented the case became crucial in the first verdict against financial fraud under the IT Act. Deputy Director for Prosecution V C Ismayil appeared for the prosecution.
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