Internet Scam: Court Convicts Four For Impersonating Foreigners
A Lagos Federal High Court, today convicted and sentenced four youths, to a month and two weeks Imprisonment for impersonating foreigners.
The four youths were convicted and sentenced to various imprisonment terms by the court presided over by Justice Daniel Osiagor, after the prosecution reviewed facts of the charges against each of them.
The four youths convicted and sentenced by the court includes: Abiola Basit (a.k.a. Jose Joaquin Tapia Espires); Idris Abayomi Fadipe (a.k.a Brenda Moseley; Adeyemi Temitope Samuel (a.k.a. Loretta Lopez); Lateef Olayinka Abiodun (a.k.a. Cheary Jacqelind Nichole) and Akpan Emmanuel Taiwo (a.k.a Tessa Fowler).
After reviewing the facts of the chargeby the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo who led Sulaiman I. Sulaiman, against all the four convicts, Justice Osiagor convicted the trio of Abiola Basit a.k.a Jose Joaquin Tapia Espires; Idris Abayomi Fadipe (a.k.a Brenda Moseley; Adeyemi Temitope Samuel, a.k.a. Loretta Lopez; Lateef Olayinka Abiodun, a.k.a. Cheary Jacqelind Nichole, to one month imprisonment, Akpan Emmanuel Taiwo a.k.a Tessa Fowler, was sentenced to two weeks imprisonment, due to his state of health.
In addition to the jail term, the convicts were also ordered to pay the sum of N50, 000, 00 each as restitution. While they were also ordered to forfeit their iPhones, Samsung phones and car which the prosecution said are the proceed of their illegal acts to the Federal government of Nigeria.
All the convicts had on last Thursday, December 23, pleaded guilty to a count each brought against them by the EFCC, when they were arraigned before Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the same court.
During their arraignment, the prosecutor, Sulaiman I. Sulaiman, had told the court that they were suspected of committing the alleged offence within the court’s jurisdiction in furtherance of internet scams.
They were brought before the court in charges marked marked FHC/L/360c/2021; FHC/L/359c/2021; FHC/L/361c/2021; and FHC/L/356c/2021.
Justice Awogboro adjourned till today for review of the facts of the case.
Charges Against The Convicts Read: “That you, Abola Basit (a.k.a Jose Joaquin Tapia Espires) on or about 22nd October, 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently impersonated one Jose Joaquin Tapia Espires by holding yourself out as such on your facebook profile with intent to 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”.
“That you, Idris Abayomi Fadipe (a.k.a Brenda Mosley) on or abou! 28th November, 2021 in Lagos fraudulently impersonated one Brenda Mosley by holding yourself out as such on your Facebook profile with intent to 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.
“That you, Adeyemi Temitope Samuel (a.k.a Loretta Lopez) on or about 28th of November, 2021 in Lagos fraudulently impersonated one Loretta Lopez by holding yourself out as such on your Google Account with internet to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrime(Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015”.
“That you, Lateef Olayinka Abiodun (a.k.a Cheary Jacquelind Nichole) on or about 28th of November, 2021 in Lagos fraudulently impersonated one Loretta Lopez by holding yourself out as such on your Google Account with internet to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrime(Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015”.
“That you Akpan Emmanuel Taiwo (a.k.a Tessa Fowler) on or about 22th October, 2021 in Lagos fraudulently impersonated one Tessa Fowler by holding yourself out as such on your instagram profile with intent to 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”.