Romance, Job Scammer Bag Jail Terms in Kwara, Benue
Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, convicted and sentenced 29-year-old Usman Muhammed to prison for romance scam.
The convict was prosecuted by the Ilorin zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on one-count charge of impersonation.
The charge read, “That you, Usman Muhammed (a.k.a Adepeju Omolara and Guns Omolara Valle), sometime in February, 2020 or thereabout at Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of his honourable court, attempted to commit an offence of cheating by impersonation by pretending and representing yourself to be a woman called Omolara Adepeju and Guns Omolara Valle, to unsuspected men on social media as it contained in both your Facebook and WhatsApp conversations on your phone and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 95 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.”
He pleaded guilty to the charge, upon which Adenike Ayoku, an operative of the EFCC reviewed the facts of the case, stating that the convict, who was arrested in his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State is an internet fraudster, who pretended to be female and used female nude photographs to fraudulently obtain money from unsuspecting internet users as evidenced in his Facebook and WhatsApp accounts.
Justice Oyinloye, who noted that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable, and that the prosecution’s evidence was neither challenged nor contradicted by the defendant, ordered the convict to pay a fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira only ) within 24 hours, or be committed to six months imprisonment.
The convict also forfeited his two phones which were the tools of his crime to the Federal Government.
Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
17/09/2020
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Court Jails Man for N2.4m Job Scam in Maiduguri
Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, on Thursday, September 17, 2020 convicted and sentenced one Nuhu Lawan to prison for job scam.
The convict was prosecuted by the Maiduguri zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on amended one-count charge of obtaining by false pretence.
The charge read, “That you, Nuhu Mohammed Lawan, on the 18th May, 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did dishonestly induce (1) Muyibat Lawan (2) Moses Maichibi (3) Mrs. Olatundun and (4) Ummu Khulthum to deliver to you the sum of N2,400,000.00 (Two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira only), via your GT Bank Account No. 024821793, under the guise of securing them employment with an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320 (a) and Punishable Under Section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 102 Laws of Borno State.”
He pleaded guilty to the charge, following which prosecution counsel, Manji Benjamin adopted the facts of the case, tendered some documents that were admitted in evidence and urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly, while defence counsel, S. Tijani prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the defendant.
Justice Kumaliya convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment, with N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only) option of fine.
Lawan’s journey to prison began on May 18, 2020, when he defrauded four job applicants the sum of N2.4million, by promising them employment in a Federal government agency. He neither offered them the jobs nor returned their money to them.
Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
17/09/2020
