A Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State has sentenced 23-year-old internet fraudster, Adebisi Emmanuel Olalekan, to 24 months imprisonment without the option of fine for cybercrime offences including impersonation and cheating.
Justice Abimbola Awogboro delivered the judgment on Wednesday after Olalekan pleaded guilty to a two-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin Zonal Directorate.
According to a statement by Dele Oyewale, EFCC's Head of Media and Publicity, the case originated from a report by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which alerted the anti-graft agency about Olalekan's fraudulent online activities.
Olalekan, a native of Omuo-Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State, was found guilty of impersonating foreign nationals, including one "Joshua Campbell Novak," using fake Gmail and TextPlus accounts between August and December 2024.
Through these fraudulent identities, he defrauded multiple victims, including Allisa Motazedi of $100,000 and Brittany Boggess of $1,000.
One of the charges read: "That you, Adebisi Emmanuel Olalekan, between August 2024 and December 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one Joshua Campbell Novak via your Gmail account and TextPlus number with the intent to obtain a total sum of $100,000 from Allisa Motazedi, which you did obtain, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(IV) of the same Act."
During the trial, EFCC counsel Sesan Ola presented the prosecution's case with testimony from lead investigator Paul Aniebonam. The court heard how the convict created fake online profiles to deceive unsuspecting foreign victims and laundered the proceeds through local financial institutions.
The investigator testified that Olalekan used the fraudulently obtained funds to purchase a white Mercedes Benz ML350 worth N30 million in October 2024. He also revealed that a total of N124,402,322 was traced to the convict's Wema Bank account.
Several exhibits were tendered by the prosecution, including the convict's bank statement, car documents, mobile device, and four extrajudicial statements.
In her ruling, Justice Awogboro sentenced Olalekan to 12 months imprisonment on each count, with the terms to run concurrently, making it a total of 24 months behind bars.
The court also ordered the final forfeiture of all assets linked to the crime to the Federal Government of Nigeria. These include the N124 million in his bank account, the Mercedes Benz ML350, and an iPhone 14 Pro Max used in perpetrating the cyber fraud, bringing the total value of forfeited assets to over N150 million.
