By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Justice Kehinde Ogundare of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday convicted and sentenced an internet fraudster Dele Asulemon to 6 months non custodial sentence or a fine of N250,000 for scamming unsuspecting victims on social media.
Dele Asulemon was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on a one-count charge of cyber crime. He pleaded guilty to the charge.
In view of his plea, the prosecutor, Mr Abbas Muhammed, proceeded to review the facts of the case through a witness, Mr Usman Ahmed, an operative with the EFCC.
The witness narrated to the court how the defendant was apprehended with iphones 8 and iphone 11, which the anti graft agency subjected to forensic examination.
He said that fraudulent and incriminating documents were printed out of the said mobile gadgets, in presence of the defendant, who endorsed same thereafter.
Ahmed told the court that the defendant’s statement was then obtained under caution, in which he admitted involving in betting scam.
The witness also testified that the defendant misrepresented himself on Facebook and Instagram, as a white lady from U S. who is in search of love and affection.
He stated that at the conclusion of investigation, it was discovered that the defendant had benefitted N200,000 from his illicit activities.
The prosecutor then tendered the printed documents from the defendant’s phone, his extra judicial statement, the iPhones 8 and 11 mobile gadgets .
The court admitted the evidences and marked them as exhibits respectively.
The prosecutor, then urged the.court to proceed and convict the defendant based on his plea, as well as the facts presented by the prosecution.
Justice Ogundare found the defendant guilty of the charge, and consequently, convicted him.
Before sentence, the defence counsel begged the court to show mercy on the defendant for being a first offender and for having no past criminal records, urging the court to issue a non custodial sentence.
Delivering judgement afterwards, the court sentenced the convict to a fine of N250,000 fine or six months of non custodial sentence.
The court also ordered that the iPhones 8 and iPhone 11, which are instruments of his criminal activities, be forfeited to the Federal Government.
In the charge, the defendant is said to have committed the offence between July and September 2023.
He was said to have impersonated one Chloe Downlas, by holding out himself as such, on the Facebook and Instagram App.
Prosecution said that the convict impersonated his victim, in order to gain advantage to himself.
The offence contravenes the provisions of Section 22(3) of the Cyber Crimes Prohibition Act, 2015
