An Ikeja Special Offences Court has sentenced a 20-year-old undergraduate, Mohammed Yunusa, to 18 months community service for impersonation.
Justice Rahman Oshodi sentenced Yunusa to Ikoyi Correctional Centre following his guilty plea and plea bargain agreement.
The convict was arraigned before the court on amended information dated October 7, 2024.
Oshodi, in his judgment, said he had considered the effect of impersonation and cyber crime which damages Nigeria’s international reputation and harms innocent citizens abroad.
He also said he had taken into consideration his early guilty plea which demonstrates an act of remorse and also save judicial time and resources.
“I also note your age and also you’re a first time offender. The maximum sentence for your crime under section 380 of the criminal law is three years imprisonment, considering the factors I identified and particularly the restitution you made of N100,000.
“However I sentence you to one year and six months of community service with the Lagos State Community Service Unit, which shall provide this court with a report of your activities.
“You shall also be registered as an offender in the state.”
During trial, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuting counsel, Ahmad Yerima, presented a witness in court PW5 Ismail Saifullahi who in his review of facts informed the court that the defendant was arrested during a sting operation at Annex Regional Hotel on June 27, 2024.
Saifullahi told the court that the convict had in his possession two devices and which incriminating documents were printed out in his presence and he acknowledged it.
He also stated that the defendant in his statement made with caution admitted that he was into online dating scam.
“I’m into online dating scam and Fullz scam and I always carry out my operation online, instagram, facebook and telegram”
He also confessed to have obtaind £364 from his victims.
The prosecutor further tendered the two devices and documents to the court following no objections from the defence.
The prosecution also told the court that the convict had restituted the sum of N100,000 to the anti-graft agency.
