An Internet fraudster, Churchill Bright Lloyd has been convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment by Justice Alexander Owoeye of a Federal High Court, Lagos.
The convicted Internet fraudster popularly called Yahoo boy, was give the jail-term after he pleaded guilty to a lone charge of impersonation made against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today.
The prosecutor, Barrister Sulaiman I. Sulaiman, had informed the court that the convict had on or before February 10, 2026, in Lagos, impersonated one TransBella.
He told the court the the convict impersonated TransBella using same on his Instagram account with the motive of using it to deceived supposed his victims.
He told the court that the convict’s act was contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).
The convicted Internet fraudster admitted committing the offence and pleaded guilty to the charge.
Based on his plea, the prosecutor after citing plethora of legal authorites, prayed the court to convict and sentence him.
But his lawyer, Victor Opara (SAN) after citing some authorities in his allocutor, pleaded with the court to give his client a fine option in lieu of the custodian sentence.
In his judgment, Justice Owoeye after listening to both the prosecutor and the client’s lawyer, sentenced the Internet fraudster to a year imprisonment.
The judge however gave him a fine option of N400, 000, in lieu of the jail-term. And also ordered that the recovered HP Laptop and Iphone 14 Pro Max be forfeited to Federal government of Nigeria.
Charge against the convict reads: “That you, CHURCHILL BRIGHT LLOYD, on or about 10 February, 2026 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently impersonated one ‘‘TransBella’’ by holding yourself out as such on your Instagram account with intent fo gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024)”.
