Justice Y. Halilu of the FCT High Court, Maitama, on Monday, April 11, 2022 convicted and sentenced one Izoduwa Osemwegie, to two months in prison for internet related fraud.
The 20-year-old student pleaded guilty to one count criminal charge preferred against him by the Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The one count charge reads, ‘that you Izoduwa Osemwegie sometime in 2021 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory cheat by personation when you created an Instagram account with the account name Steven McLean posing as a legitimate trader from Canada, and under the assumed character obtained the sum of €150 (One Hundred and Fifty Euros) from Huseyin, a Briton and €400 (Four Hundred Euros) from Jonathan, a Turkish citizen under the pretext that you are a legitimate Bitcoin trader, a fact you knew to be false and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Law (Cap. 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria) and punishable under Section 324 of the same Law”. He pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against him.
In view of his guilty plea, Prosecution Counsel Nguper Martha Tertsua prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
Justice Halilu sentenced Osemwegie to 2 months in prison with an option of N500, 000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. All proceeds of the crime are also to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.