Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Thursday, October 20, 2022 sentenced one Fapohunda Paul Olasunkanmi, a laundry man from Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State to three years imprisonment over internet fraud related offences.
Fapohunda, 23, was arrested in Ado-Ekiti by operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on April 26, 2022 with one iphone 6, Macbook Apple Air Laptop and Benz CLA 250. Upon analysis of the phone, the suspect was found to be engaged in dating scam, using fictitious emails while posing to be a white man named Ethan Jones from America to defraud unsuspecting victims. He also engaged in the use of fraudulent email accounts for other nefarious acts including picker through bitcoins, cashapp and gift cards.
The convict who had no known source of livelihood was found to be in control of N92million naira believed to be proceeds of illegal activities between August 2021 and April 2022.
He was prosecuted on one count by the anti-graft agency, which he pleaded guilty to.
The charge reads:
“That you, Fapohunda Paul Olasunkanmi sometime in the month of August 2018 in Ekiti within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court did fraudulently impersonate one Ethan Jones you’re your email 53ethanjones53@gmail.com with intent to gain advantage for yourself and you did benefit $930 dollars thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Act) 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the same Act”
Andrew Akoja who prosecuted the case on behalf of the EFCC reviewed the facts of the case urged the court to convict the defendant as charged.
In his judgement, Justice Sani agreed with the prosecution counsel that the EFCC had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convict the defendant.
The Judge sentenced Fapohunda to three years imprisonment with option of N400,000 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira Only). The judge ordered that one iphone 12 promax, apple iphone 6, macbook laptop, Benz CLA 250 and sum of $930 (Nine Hundred and Thirty United State Dollars) which he raised as restitution be forfeited to the Federal Government.
