Internet Fraudster Bags Two-years Jail Term For Swindling American Woman
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
A High Court in Gwagwalada has sentenced an internet fraudster to two years imprisonment for swindling an American woman of 300 dollars.
A statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said the convict, Eze Josiah, was sentenced on Thursday by Justice Aliyu Shafa.
Eze, who was arraigned by the anti-graft commission on two counts of cheating by impersonation for pretending to be an American citizen on Facebook, pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency. He promised not to make the mistake in his life again and to be of good behaviour.
The Defence Counsel, J.M. Mafwil, in support of the allocutus by the convict, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy.
Mafwil told the court that the convict was a first time offender and a young man, adding that the court should consider lesser sentence or fine while sentencing the convict.
The prosecution counsel, Idris Haruna, however, disclosed to the court that the convict, sometime in January 2024, within the jurisdiction of the court, committed the crime of cheating by personation.
He said that the convict, while pretending to be Kevin, an American citizen on Faebook, fraudulently obtained the sum of 200 dollars, an equivalent of N270,000, through gift cards from one Jessica, an American.
Haruna further revealed that the convict pretended to be Prisca Helen, an American citizen on Facebook and in the process, defrauded one Karlos, also an American citizen.
Haruna said that the convict in that character fraudulently obtained 100 dollars through gift cards from his victim.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 321 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code.
Haruna in oral application pleaded with the court that the instrument used for the crime which includes, an HP laptop and iPhone eight be forfeited to the federal government.
