Man jailed 14 months for $780 internet fraud

A Federal High Court in Ibadan on Tuesday sentenced a man, Mubarrak Oyeleke, to 14 months imprisonment  for $780 internet fraud.

Delivering judgment, Justice Uche Agomoh, held that Oyeleke was convicted based on the evidence tendered before the court, as well as his plea bargain agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Agomoh said she considered the provisions of Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which specified that someone who entered a plea bargain agreement should be given a reduced sentence.

The Judge, therefore, sentenced Oyeleke to seven months in prison for each of the two offences, which would run concurrently.

“All the benefits derived from the crime are forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“The convict must write an undertaking to the EFCC after completing his jail term that he will be of good behavior by not partaking in any form of crime henceforth,” the judge added.

Earlier, the EFCC counsel, Mr Mabas Maburb told the court that Oyeleke was arraigned on counts of impersonation.

He said the convict in September  2021 used a fake email address and defrauded unsuspecting foreigners.

He said that $780 dollars, a Samsung mobile phone and many incriminating documents linking Oyeleke to the crime were found in his possession.

The prosecutor stated that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 22 (2B) of the Cyber Crime Prohibition and Prevention Act 2015.