Culture

“I left Nigeria to engage ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’ in Ghana due to electricity” — Nigerian prisoner

Published

4 months ago

August 1, 2024

A Nigerian man who is serving a jail term in Ghana for allegedly killing a prostitute has confessed that he left Nigeria to the neighbouring country to do internet fraud otherwise known as ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’ due to the unstable electricity in his country.

The prison inmate who confessed in an interview with Gh One TV was found guilty of killing the commercial sex worker he had engaged for her services.

While confessing to the crime that led him to the Nsawam Prison, the inmate who claims to be from Edo State in Nigeria said he relocated to Ghana to engage in the fraudulent business because of stable electricity supply compared to his home country.

“I came to Ghana to do Yahoo. They call it fraud, but my target was not to defraud Africans. I looked outside Africa,” the self-confessed fraudster whose name was not mentioned for security reasons, said.

When asked why he did not engage in the fraud scheme in his country, the prisoner said:

“Because we don’t have steady light. The normal NEPA light, we don’t have it steady,” he explained.

He further narrated that his journey to prison started when he had a misunderstanding with his boss with whom he was engaging in fraudulent activities, which forced him to move into a hotel.

He said they fell out over sharing the proceeds from a successful online scam.

“We were supposed to share it 40-60 per cent; my chairman was supposed to get 60 per cent and give me 40 per cent, but he insisted on giving me 30 per cent, so out of anger, I took the 30 per cent, my laptop with my things and moved out into a hotel.”

He explained that during his one-week stay at the hotel, he went out on the last day to a popular pub in Lapaz to employ the services of a commercial sex worker who later died mysteriously in his hotel room.

“So I took her in, and she only took Smirnoff; she said she had already drunk with alcohol because it was her freedom day after settling her madam. In the morning, around 5 am to 6 am, I tried waking her up only to realise she had died.

“When I checked, I realised white foam was coming out of her, so I called the attention of the hotel staff, who also tried to resuscitate her by pouring water on her, but it didn’t work. So the hotel owner was called, and he brought the police to arrest me,” he said.

Related Topics:Featured fraud Ghana Nigeria Prison Yahoo-Yahoo

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Culture

Miss SA opens up on why she withdrew from Miss Universe pageant

Published

22 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Reigning Miss South Africa 2024, Mia le Roux, has opened up on the reasons behind her withdrawal from the Miss Universe pageant which was held in Mexico, where Nigeria’s Chidinma Adetshina was the first runner-up.

While narrating her experience in a video she shared on social media on Wednesday, le Roux said her body was taking so much physical strain.

“Hello everyone, I’m back in South Africa and wanted to reach out to you all. Thank you so much for all of your kind wishes, your support and prayers,” she said in the video.

“I wanted to be transparent with you and share my story. A lot of you would’ve seen the video that I made about vertigo, while I was in Mexico at Miss Universe.

“Vertigo is a condition where it feels like you are dizzy and there’s a sense of the world spinning around you. It’s very intense and can cause major issues with your imbalance.

“Mentally I was very strong, I was ready, but physically, my body was taking strain. I had to even seek medical help in Mexico City. And even after the medical help, my condition still wasn’t improving.”

She added that during the preliminary rounds of Miss Universe, she had continued to push herself but her vertigo intensified and it became unmanageable.

She stated that while she was waiting backstage, she fell repeatedly and couldn’t stand up without support and was not in a position to safely walk on stage.

“It was not easy. As I was not doing it just for myself but for all of you in South Africa,” she said.

“I will continue to serve as your Miss South Africa, to support and uplift those who come after me. With my unbreakable spirit and an exciting year ahead, I will keep fighting for myself and for everyone with dreams and passions. I am so proud to still be your Miss South Africa,” she added.

Culture

Ugandan TikToker sentenced to 32 months for insulting President Museveni

Published

2 days ago

November 19, 2024

Isaac Dachen

21-year-old Ugandan TikToker and content creator, Emmanuel Nabugodi, has been sentenced to 32 months in prison for allegedly insulting President Yoweri Museveni in a satirical video.

Nabugodi was found guilty by an Entebbe High Court for allegedly creating a video deemed insulting to President Museveni, a verdict which human rights advocates say further entrenches Uganda’s intolerance for criticism of government officials and holding them accountable.

During his arraignment before Chief Magistrate Stellah Maris Amabilis on Monday, Nabugodi pleaded guilty to four charges of defamation of character.

The content creator who gained popularity for his comedy sketches with over 20,000 followers, pleaded guilty to charges including hate speech and spreading malicious content about the president.

Local media report that the offensive video featured a mock trial of President Museveni, where Nabugodi depicted the leader being subjected to public flogging.

While delivering the judgement, Chief Magistrate Amabilis said the sentencing aimed to deter social media users from targeting others, including high-profile individuals like the president.

“This court hopes that by the time the convict leaves prison, he will have learned that abusing people in the name of creating content is unacceptable,” she stated.

Rights groups have frequently raised concerns about shrinking freedoms of expression in Uganda with critics arguing that Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, has little tolerance for dissent.

Nabugodi’s case is the latest in a string of arrests targeting social media users.

In July, another TikTok creator, Edward Awebwa, received a six-year prison sentence on similar charges, while three others are awaiting trial for their TikTok contents.

The convictions stem from Uganda’s 2022 amendment to the Computer Misuse Act, which criminalizes sharing content online that could “ridicule, degrade, or demean” others based on their identity or affiliation.

Human rights organizations have also accused Ugandan authorities of routinely violating freedoms of speech and expression, with many calling for reforms to protect citizens’ digital rights.