A Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Thursday sentenced two Internet fraudsters to six months imprisonment each without an option of fine.
Justice Babangana Ashigar convicted Ogundele Adeseye and Kadri Oluwayomi after pleading guilty to a charge of fraud brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),
Ashigar said that the sentence will serve as deterrent to others.
EFCC counsel, Andrew Akoja, had earlier told the court that sometimes in February 2018, Oluwayomi, 24, was involved in a fraudulent act by calling himself John Rivers and that he had divorced his wife of 10 years and interested in dating both men and women.
Akoja said that the accused obtained the cumulative sum of $12, 000 in form of gift cards from one Ben Liebeskind, an American citizen, whom he met on seeking.com, an online dating site.
He said that the accused committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 421 of Criminal Code Act.
The prosecutor had earlier told the court that the two parties (prosecutor and defendant counsel) had entered into a plea bargain agreement filled on April 9.
Counsel to the accused person, O.J David did not object, but pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
“Adeseye, 24, sometimes in July, 2018, by means of fraudulent trick, called himself a white Caucasian and interested in having a relationship, and obtained the cumulative sum of $500 in form of gift cards from one Chase Gliglia, an American Citizen whom he met on seeking.com website”.
The prosecutor said that the accused got the money by chatting with the white woman, using the email [email protected].
He said that the accused committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 421 of the Criminal Code Act.
In his plea, the convict, Adeseye told the court that he has learnt his lessons.
“I have realized that crime and criminality is not good, am pleading with your Lordship to temper justice with mercy,” he begged the court.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that EFCC had arraigned the accused person on a five-count charge but was later amended to one count after the plea bargain agreement was reached.
Justice Ashigar, in sentencing the convicts, said; “in accordance with plea bargain agreement, I hereby convict the defendant and sentence him to six months imprisonment” (NAN)