Court jails graduate one year for dating scam
A graduate of Computer Science from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University, Uli, Anambra State, Ohaguim Ifeayin Emmanuel has been convicted and sentenced to one-year imprisonment for dating scam.
Penpushing reports that the convict was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), on January 19, 2024, on two-count charges bordering on cybercrime
‘That you, Ohaguim Ifeayin Emmanuel, sometime in October, 2023, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to gain advantage for yourself, fraudulently impersonated one “Benjamin Valdez” by holding yourself out as such on your Google Account and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015’, one of the counts reads
Penpushing further reports that when the charges were read to him, he pleaded guilty, and following this prosecution counsel, A.S. Wara, called on Usman Ahmed, an operative of the anti-graft, to review the facts of the case
The operative of the crimes commission told the court that the defendant was arrested sometime in October, 2023, following credible intelligence received by the agency on the activities of some internet fraudsters operating in Fine County Estate, Orchid Road, Lekki, Lagos State, adding that an iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone XR, iPhone X and Mercedez Benz C300 were recovered from him at the point of arrest.
“Upon his arrest, he was duly processed and the defendant volunteered his statements. Investigations were conducted and forensic evidence were printed out from his phone. In his statement, he confessed he was into dating scam’, Wara said.
Penpushing also reports that the prosecuting counsel equally told the court that the defendant confessed to have benefited 950 USD and N3.2m from his involvement in the criminal activity, therefore, sought to tender, in evidence, the defendant’s extrajudicial statements, some items recovered from him: iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone XR, iPhone X and forensic investigation documents print out.
The judge Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday, January 22, 2024 consequently, convicted and sentenced him to one year imprisonment, with an option of fine of N200,000
Penpushing reports that all exhibits were admitted by the court while the Judge in similar vein ordered that the mobile phones and Mercedes Benz C300 recovered from him be forfeited to the Nigeria Government.
FOOTNOTE: You want to share story with us? You want to advertise with us? You need publicity for product, or service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348073463653 or email [email protected]
