Justice Sherifat Solebo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court yesterday jailed two internet fraudsters to a total of seven months imprisonment for N800,000 internet fraud.
The convicts, Oyelami Olatunji and Osho Kazeem were also given an option of fine in a total sum of N250,000 in lieu of imprisonment.
Justice Mojisola Dada of Ikeja Special Offences Court yesterday also sentenced an internet fraudster Sodiq Adewale to one year imprisonment for defrauding his victim of $87,300.
The judge gave the convict an option of fine in the sum of N3 million.
Justice Dada sentenced and convicted Adewale for being in possession of forged documents, which he used to defraud his victim to the tune of $87,300 USD.
The convict was re-arraigned before the court on one count amended charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
During proceeding yesterday, the EFCC prosecutor, Mrs Fadekemi Giwa, told the court that the convict, who was previously arraigned before the court had approached the commission for a plea bargain agreement.
She told the court that following the development , the charge against the convict was amended and a plea bargain agreement was signed by him, his counsel and herself, the prosecutor in the matter.
Following prosecutor’s submission, Justice Dada ordered that the amended charge be read to the convict for his plea to be taken again.
The EFCC in the amended charge said: “that you, Sodiq Adewale, on or about the 25th day of January, 2021, Lagos, had in you possession a document titled Official Check No. 029356348 valued $87,300 containing false pretences which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State”.
After the amended charge was read, the convict said he understood the charge and pleaded guilty.
Following his not guilty plea, his counsel, Ademola Adefolaju, pleaded with the court to be lenient in sentencing his client.
He urged the court to consider that his client is a first time offender and did not waste precious time of the court.
He said the convict had become remorseful and has promised not to engage in any fraudulent act.
He also urged the court to give his client option of fine in lieu of custodian sentence.
Giving judgement in the matter, Justice Dada she considered the fact of the matter as presented by the prosecution before the court and remorse shown by the convict.
The trial judge sentenced the convict to one year imprisonment.
The judge however gave the convict an option of N3million fine in lieu of the jail term.
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