Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court, Ilorin on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 convicted and sentenced one Omoteji Tomiwa Stephen, who deals in dogs, to two years imprisonment, having found him guilty of a two-count charge bordering on impersonation to obtain leveled against him by Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Omoteji, 23, from Egbe in Yaba West Local Government Area of Kogi State allegedly posed as one Michael Gregory vide a gmail account linked to his hangouts account with intent to obtain a sum of $2000 (Two Thousand US Dollars) from one Sierra B. Price, an offence contrary to Section 22(2) (b) (11) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (iv) of the same Act”.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Omoteji Tomiwa Stephen (Alias: Micheal Gregory) sometime in September, 2021 at Kwara State, within the judicial division of the Federal High Court, did fraudulently impersonate one Micheal Gregory vide your chats using Gmail; fsgfdrtr.56r5tgf@gmail.com linked to your Hangouts number 765-396-8539 with the intent to obtain and did obtain the sum of $2000 (Two Thousand US Dollars) from one Sierra B. Price and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 22(2) (b) (11) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Etc.) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (iv) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.
Upon his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Andrew Akoja, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered the fraudulent messages printed from the defendant’s device, one iPhone 12 Pro Max, HP laptop and one Toyota Corolla 2008 car, which were admitted in evidence.
Akoja prayed the court to hold that the prosecution had successfully linked the defendant to the charge and convict him as charged.
In his judgment, Justice Sani sentenced Omoteji to one year imprisonment on each of the two counts, which would run concurrently with an option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only) on each count. The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the convict’s iPhone 12 Pro Max, HP Laptop and a 2008 Toyota Corolla car to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Additionally, Justice Sani ordered the convict to restitute the sum of $100 (One Hundred US Dollars), which he benefited from the crime.