The FCT High Court in Gwagwalada, on Thursday, June 8, ordered a student, Istifanus Irmiya, to clean the premises of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for two weeks for internet fraud.
Irmiya was arraigned by the EFCC on a two-count charge boarding on cheating and personation.
The student, however, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy, adding that he would not indulge in internet fraud again.
“I want to beg the court for mercy. I’m deeply sorry for what I have done. I’m a changed person now knowing fully well the consequences of my offence,” Irmiya said.
Delivering judgement, Justice Aliyu Shafa, convicted and sentenced Irmiya to clean the commission’s premises from 9 a.m. to 12 noon daily for two weeks.
Justice Shafa also ordered the student to pay a fine of N100,000.
He also ordered that the phone used by the convict to perpetuate the crime should be burnt.
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The judge declared: “I have carefully listened to the plea of allocutus made by the convict and the defence counsel.
“The rate of internet fraud through Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, among others in society is so alarming. That he is a first time offender is not an excuse to go scot-free.
“The rate of Yahoo-Yahoo among youths is alarming. Many who resort to crime always have ‘I want to get rich quick’ mindset. Sending him to prison might make him more hardened.”
Earlier, the defence counsel, Chibuike Chima, in support of the allocutus by the convict, told the court that Irmiya had no previous conviction record and was also remorseful.
The EFCC counsel, Taiwo Aromolaran, told the court that the student in 2022 within the jurisdiction of the court cheated by personation.
Aromolaran said the convict deceived his victim while pretending to be one mistress Clara a female Caucasian.
She said the convict carried out an illegal act, making one Alex Lexis, a German, to send him the sum of 250 Euros which he received via PayPal and Nosh Apps before transferring the money to his own account domiciled with Polaris Bank.
The lawyer told the court that the convict, in 2022, also had in his possession documents containing false-pretence, where he represented himself as a German on his Facebook and KK accounts, created by him with the intent to induce Alex Lexis to deliver money to him.
Aromolaran said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 321 of the Penal Code Act of the Federation (Abuja), 1990 and punishable under Section 324 of the same Act.
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