Court orders internet fraudster to pay N250,000 fine

An FCT High Court, sitting in Kubwa, on Wednesday ordered a 26- year-old musician, Adebayo Samuel, who cheated a woman of $500, to pay N250, 000 fine.

Delivering judgment, Justice Bello Kawu, warned him to desist from committing crimes and be of good behaviour.

Earlier, the defence counsel, Dauda Ajadosu, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that Samuel had paid restitution to the victim.

“ Samuel honoured all invitations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since he was granted administrative bail and is remorseful.

” I prayed the  court to give him an option of fine, so that he can go back to the society and be rehabilitated, ” Ajadosu said.

Newsmen reports that the prosecuting counsel, Abubakar Rinjim, told the court that Samuel and his defence counsel had entered and signed a plea bargain on Dec. 15.

The EFCC charged Samuel with cheating and inducing one Sherri Young through Google Hang out and Google Voice, an online dating application, to deliver $500  to him ( five hundred Canadian dollars).

The prosecuting counsel said Samuel deceived Young, pretending to be a male Caucasian bearing the name, Canon Swift sometime in 2020.

He added that the said sum was paid into Samuel’s bitcoin account through one Toni Gilliam.

The offence, the EFCC said, contravened the provisions of Section 320 (b) of the Penal Code.