Court jails two for internet fraud, identity theft

By Kazeem Akanbi

The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, sentenced Joshua Victor David and Abdulmalik Adesanya Olayiwola to one year in prison for impersonation and internet fraud.

Justice Alexander Owoeye handed down the judgment after both convicts were found guilty of separate one count charges brought by the Lagos Zonal Directorate I of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the EFCC, David posed as “Clara Jane” and defrauded an unsuspecting victim, John Brill, via email in August 2025, while Olayiwola impersonated “Kylie Dowdy” on Facebook to unlawfully benefit from the impersonation. Both acts violated Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

Prosecution counsel Fadeke Giwa and Ukoha Nwandu presented statements and mobile devices as evidence, urging the court to convict the accused as charged.

Justice Owoeye sentenced David to one year in prison, with an option of N300,000, and ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone 16 and a bank draft of N250,000 to the Federal Government. Olayiwola received a one-year prison term with an option of N600,000 fine.

The EFCC confirmed that both convicts were investigated for internet fraud, prosecuted, and subsequently convicted.