By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
A 20- year-old young man Adesanya Oluwasegun (a.k.a) Angel Robbin, was on Wednesday sentenced to 12 months imprisonment by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, with effect from December 7, 2022 for defrauding his unsuspecting victim the sum of 400 USD through internet activities.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke handed down the sentence in his bench judgement after the defendant had pleaded guilty to the one court charge of Cybercrime preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In the alternative to the imprisonment, the defendant has an option to pay the sum of N250,000 as fine to the consolidated account of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The EFCC had arraigned Adesanya Oluwasegun who impersonated himself as Angel Robbin, a female from Ohio in the United States of America. He was charged before the court on one count charge bordering on Cybercrime .
The charge dated September 2, 2022 reads: “That you Adesanya Oluwasegun (a.k.a) Angel Robbin on or about the 18th day of July 2022, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, had in your possession document titled “Google Account” wherein you fraudulently represented yourself as ” Angel Robbin”, a female white American resident in Ohio to various unsuspecting victims through your snap chart account linked to your email address angelinabecky@gmail.com with intent to gain advantage of yourself contrary to Section 22(2)(b) Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.”
After listening to the charge, Adesanya Oluwasegun pleaded guilty to the charge.
In view of the plea of guilty by the defendant, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the case and asked the court to convict the defendant accordingly.
The defendant was subsequently convicted.
However in his allocutus, the defence counsel asked the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that the defendant is first offender and has shown remorse over the offence he committed.
He told the court that the defendant did not waste the previous time of the court by pleading guilty.
Besides, he has deposited N100,000, being part of the proceeds of the crime with EFCC, a substantial amount, as the value of the 400 USD was N127,000.
He urged the court to give a non custodial sentence to the defendant and give him another opportunity to leave better and useful live in the society.
He told the court that the defendant is a tailor and will continue his tailoring.
