A 29-year-old secondary school dropout, Idris Balogun, is to spend the next two years in the Ikoyi custodial facility for engaging in internet love scam.
Balogun was handed down the sentence by an Ikeja Special Offences Court on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Ismail Ijelu convicted Balogun, who admitted guilt under a plea bargain agreement.
He was charged with procuring false documents by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ijelu held that the court was satisfied that Balogun understood the charge and that he was not forced or threatened to plead guilty.
The judge ordered that the convict should forfeit his iPhone 6, a small Nokia phone and N350,000 to the Federal Government.
The judge, however, gave the convict an option of N2 million fine which must be paid within 30 days.
He said: “Balogun is hereby convicted of the one-count charge, and he is hereby sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of N2 million fine to be paid within 30 days..
“The court orders the forfeiture of the convict’s iPhone 6, a small Nokia phone and N350,000 to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“He shall also write an undertaking with EFCC to always be of good behaviour.”
Earlier, the anti-graft agency said that the convict was into internet fraud and presented himself on social media as one Helen Smith, a Caucasian female, seeking love.
EFCC said that the convict defrauded his victims of $2,800, adding that he was arrested on Sept. 20, 2023.
According to EFCC, when Balogun’s phone was scrutinized it was discovered that he pretended to be a white female from Florida.
The commission added that Balogun voluntarily stated that he made $2,800 from the love scam.
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“On Feb. 19, he deposited his iPhone 6, and a small Nokia phone and raised a UBA bank voucher for N350,000,” it said.
The commission submitted that the convict committed the offence on Sept. 19, 2023, on Ajayi Street, Abule, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
According to EFCC, the offence violates Section 318 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)
