Internet fraudster sentenced to 3 days community service in Abuja

An FCT High Court in Gwagwalada, Abuja, on Wednesday sentenced a man, Victor Ademola to three days of noncustodial service for internet fraud.

Ademola was docked by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for creating a ding-tone application with the profile name Ethan John.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.

Delivering judgment, Justice Aliyu Shafa, sentenced Ademola to three days of community service to clean the surroundings of the Sharia court from May 4 to May 6 from the hours of 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Shafa said the community service would be done under the supervision of the officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Gwagwalada command.

He also ordered the convict to pay a fine of N50,000.

He ordered that the phone used by the convict to perpetuate the crime be completely destroyed and evidence of the destruction should be brought before the court as against the application of the prosecution counsel that the phone be forfeited and sold.

“I have carefully listened to the plea of allocutus made by the said convict and the defence Counsel.

“The rate of fraud in the society so alarming and the convict cannot go scot-free. Cybercrime is a dangerous offence in our society,” he ruled.

Earlier, the convict had pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy, adding that he would not indulge in such an act again.

“I want to beg the court for mercy, am deeply sorry for what I have done, am a changed person now knowing fully well of the consequences of my offence,” he said.

The Defence Counsel, Samuel Akuh, in support of the allocutus by the convict, told the court that Ademola, who had no previous conviction record in Nigeria, was remorseful and repentant.

“Ademola, is a young man who regrets the consequences of his act and has come to realise that their is no excuse for anyone to engage in crime under whatever guise.

“The convict has shown remorse and genuinely repented over the crime he has committed against the nation, by way of expressing genuine repentance he has restituted the proceed of crime which is the sum of 450 U.S dollar.

“The convict is a first-time offender, he has not be convicted for any other crime of whatever kind. We urge my Lord to tamper justice with mercy.

“We assure this court that going forward the convict will be of good behaviour,” he pleaded.

The EFCC Counsel, Chidike Obasi-oko, told the court that Ademola, sometime in 2023, within the jurisdiction of the Court cheated by personation.

Obasi-oko said that the convict created a ding ding application with the profile name Ethan John, a United State citizen, and benefited 450 U.S dollar.

He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 321 of the Penal Code Act Law of the Federation (Abuja), 1990, and punishable under Section 324 of the same Act.

He pleaded with the court that the iPhone 13 Pro being instrument used for the crime, be forfeited and the proceed deposit with the government.