Crime
Court orders internet fraudster to clean EFCC premises for three days
An FCT High Court yesterday ordered Okwo Mark to clean the premises of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for three days for internet fraud.
Mark was docked by the EFCC for pretending to be Stella Coleman, an American citizen, working as an FBI agent. He pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.
Delivering judgment, Justice Aliyu Shafa, sentenced also Mark to three months imprisonment or to pay a fine of N50,000.
The judge ordered Mark to clean the EFCC office from 8 a.m. to noon, under the supervision of an official of the Legal Department.
He ordered that the phone used by the convict to perpetuate the crime be completely destroyed, adding that it should be burn and evidence of the destruction should be brought before the court.
“I have carefully listened to the plea of allocutus made by the said convict and the defence Counsel.
“The rate of internet fraud especially among youths in the society is so alarming and the court will not allow the convict to go unpunished as this will serve as a deterrent to others that wants to toll same path,” he ruled.
Shafa ordered that the proceed from the crime which was 500 U.S. Dollar be returned to the nominal complainant and the receipt brought back to the court as evidence as this will help to portray the country well.
Earlier, the convict had pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy, adding that he would not indulge in such act again.I promise I will not engage in such act again,” he pleaded.
The Defence Counsel, Ms B.E. Danjuma, in support of the allocutus by the convict, told the court that Mark, who had no previous conviction record in Nigeria was remorseful and repentant.
“Mark, is a young man who was cut up with bad company. He is just 21 years with a promising future. He regrets the consequences of his act.
“The convict has shown remorse and genuinely repented over the crime he has committed against the nation, by way of expressing genuine repentance he has restituted the proceed of crime which is the sum of $500.
“The convict is a first time offender. We urge my Lord to tamper justice with mercy,” she pleaded.
The EFCC Counsel, M.M.Gwani, told the court that Mark sometimes in 2022 within the jurisdiction of the Court cheated.
Gwani said that the convict deceived while pretending to be Stella Coleman an American citizen working with an FBI agent.
He said that the convict cheated by inducing Arnold under the pretence to deliver to him 500 U.S Dollars which the convict used for his own personal use.
He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 320 of the Penal Code Act Law of the Federation (Abuja), 1990 and punishable under Section 322 of the same Act.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), on Sunday said it intercepted 6,125 cartons of codeine syrup worth N7.3 billion in Rivers.
This is contained in a statement signed by NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that the intercepted cartons contained 1,050,000 bottles of the opioid worth over N7.3 billion street value, at the Port Harcourt Ports complex, Onne, Rivers l.
According to him, the seizure made from six containers on Saturday, is the third of such in the past four weeks.
He said that the drugs were seized following credible intelligence and diligent tracking of the consignments from their port of departure by a special operations unit of NDLEA.
Babafemi also said that the operatives worked in partnership with the Port Harcourt, Ports Command of the agency and other security agencies.
This, he said, included the Nigeria Customs Service for a 100 per cent joint examination of the targeted containers.
“At the end of the joint examination of the six containers, a total of 6,125 cartons containing 1,050,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 157,500 kilograms were recovered, “he said.
Babafemi further said that NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos, arrested two passengers travelling to Doha on a Qatar Airways flight at the screening point of terminal 2.
He said that the arrest came after they tested positive to ingestion of illicit substances on Friday.
“The suspects: Aikhomoun Daniel (alias Oladapo Olanrewaju) and Ayigoro Omobolaji were thereafter taken into observatory custody.
“While Daniel excreted a total of 90 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.022kg in six excretions, Ayigoro discharged 60 wraps of the same Class A substance with a total weight of 662grams in five excretions.
“Further investigation revealed that Aikhomoun Daniel actually stole the identity of his late uncle who was once based in Germany.
“This is a decision he claimed he took to get a Schengen visa to enable him free access to Europe, while his real name is Oladapo Olanrewaju, “he said.
Operatives of Lagos Police Command have arrested a suspected armed robber in Idimu area of the state.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest in a post he shared on his X handle @benHundeyin on Sunday.
He said that the suspect was arrested on Sunday during a patrol of the axis(Idimu)
“Today, at 3: 00 a.m. at Pipeline Street, Idimu, the suspect was arrested by officers from Idimu Division.
“When searched, one locally made pistol and one live cartridge were recovered, ” the spokesperson said.
According to the image maker, investigation is ongoing on the matter
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