Crimes

$100,000 romantic scam lands 24-year-old man in jail

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State on Tuesday, sentenced a 24-year-old man, Olamilekan Akanni Olamide, to one year imprisonment for internet fraud.

The presiding judge sentenced Olamide after he pleaded guilty to the allegation of internet fraud proffered against him by the EFCC.

The prosecuting counsel, S.O Daji, told the court that the defendant was arrested by EFCC operatives on October 19, 2021, at No B13, Victoria Crescent 3, Lekki, Lagos State, on the allegation that Olamide and others were involved in cyber crime.

Daji, who informed the court that the defendant confessed to have made $100,000 from dating and romance scam, said one iPhone 12 Pro Max and one Honda Accord (2019 model) with the registration number JYY667AY, were recovered by the anti-graft agency.

He further told the court that other items recovered from the defendant were keys of five vehicles which include Mercedes Benz, Range Rover, among others.

The EFCC counsel stated that Olamide also made a statement that he had in possession the sum of N600,000 in his bank account.

The prosecutor added that the defendant told the Commission that his mission was to disguise himself as a white female and defraud unsuspecting people on the internet.

In his plea, the defence counsel, Kayode Omoya, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy by giving Olamide a fine in place of a sentence.

Omoya further told the court that the defendant, who wept uncontrollably in court on Tuesday, has a one-year-old baby after he got married in 2019.

Delivering judgement, Justice Dada sentenced Olamide to one year imprisonment with an option of N10 million fine.

The presiding judge also ordered that the recovered items be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

TheStar