Court jails man 5 years for love scam in Kaduna

The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, secured the conviction and sentencing of one Akinola Jeremiah before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court for cyber-fraud

Akinola was arrested by the EFCC following credible intelligence on his alleged involvement in internet- related. Upon arrest, analysis of the devices found on him indicated that he was impersonating the identities of Christopher Walker and Thomas Broussard on his social media handles (Hangout, Facebook, and WhatsApp) with a view to defrauding his victims with whom he pretended to be involved in romantic relationships.

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The one count amended charge reads: “That you, Akinola Jeremiah, male, sometimes between the months of January and March, 2022, in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, pretended to be one Christopher Walker, a United States of America naval officer on Instagram and Facebook, obtained gift cards worth the sum of $1,800 United States of America Dollars from Lesa, Nichol, and Kesha for a romantic relationship and you thereby committed cheating by impersonation, an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Law, 2017 of Kaduna State and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”

The defendant pleaded guilty to the one count amended charge.

Upon his guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, Y.J Matiyak urged the court to convict him accordingly. But counsel to the defendant, Richard O. Adedoyin asked the court to temper justice with mercy.

Justice Khobo, thereafter convicted and sentenced the defendant to five years Imprisonment with the option of N150, 000.00 fine.

The court also ordered the  forfeiture of the property of the convict which were purchased with the proceeds of crime, including an iPhone 12 Pro Max, and Bluetooth speaker and the sum of N300,000.00  (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) to the Federal Government of Nigeria.