Man bags six months imprisonment for impersonation in Kwara
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
A 24-year-old man, Taiwo Oluwapelumi Emmanuel, has been sentenced to six months imprisonment by Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, for offences bordering on impersonation.
The convict was arraigned on one-count charge by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging that he posed as a citizen of the United States of America to defraud unsuspecting victims.
He was among the suspected internet fraudsters arrested in Ogbomosho area of Oyo State on October 26, 2021 during a sting operation based on credible intelligence received by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC.
Taiwo, according to the EFCC, in his various chats claimed to be a contractor and businessman based n the United States of America, a decoy he employed to swindle his victims.
The charge against him reads: “That you, Taiwo Oluwapelumi Emmanuel, sometime between February and March, 2021 at Ogbomosho, within the Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did fraudulently impersonate one David Williams George; an American, with the intent to gain advantage for yourself from one Mindy who you chatted vide your created gmail; davidwilly1205@gmail.com and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2) (b) (I) of the Cybercrime Prohibition prevention Etc.) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the same Act.”
He pleaded guilty to the charge, following which Counsel to the EFCC, Andrew Akoja, reviewed the facts of the case from the bar and tendered one iphone X, one Lenovo Laptop and the extra-judicial statement of the defendant as well as fraudulent messages printed from his device, which were admitted in evidence.
Akoja, thereafter, urged the court to hold that the prosecution has successfully established its case against the defendant and convict him as charged.
In his judgment, Justice Sani said the court was satisfied with the evidence adduced by the prosecution and pronounced Taiwo guilty of the charge.
The judge sentenced the defendants to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N200,000 and ordered that the iphone X and Lenovo Laptop, which he used as instrumentality of the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.