Young Man Bags
Young Man Bags One Year Jail Term for Internet
Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal
office, on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 secured the conviction and
sentencing of one Andrew Aigbedion, an internet fraudster from the
Special Offence Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos state and presided
over by Justice Sherifat Solebo.
The convict was arraigned on a one-count charge that borders on
possession of a fraudulent document.
The count reads, “that you, Andrew Aigbedion (a.k.a Steve) on or
about the 5th day of January 2018, at Lagos, within the Ikeja
Judicial Division, had in your possession a document wherein you
falsely represented yourself to one Anne that you are a widower and
originally from Greece and has lived in the United States of
America for less than 26 months when you knew or ought to know,
having regard to the circumstances of the case, that the document
contains false pretence and committed an offence contrary to
Section 318 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State No. 11 of
2011.”
The prosecution counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, informed the court that
the convict pleaded guilty to charge preferred against him at the
last sitting and consequently, moved to review the facts of the
case.
According to the prosecution counsel: “Sometime in May 2017, the
defendant was arrested by operatives of the EFCC and upon his
arrest, he volunteered his statement. In the course of the
investigation, he admitted to being into romance scam.
“Upon a forensic analysis into his email
address-musicalous@yahoo.com-, documents containing false pretence
were printed out.
“The defendant impersonated a white man named Steve and
confessed to obtaining the sum of $15,000 (Fifteen Thousand United
State Dollars) and Seven Million Naira (N7, 000, 000) from
unsuspecting members of the public.
“The defendant also admitted to purchasing two exotic cars from
the proceeds of crime, which he agreed to forfeit to the Federal
Government.”
The prosecution counsel, upon the detailed review of facts,
prayed that Aigbedion be convicted as contained in the plea bargain
agreement.
The convict’s counsel, however, prayed the court to temper
justice with mercy in sentencing his client, stating that he was a
first-time offender who had shown remorse and promised to
change.
Justice Sherifat Solebo found him guilty of the offence and
sentenced him to one year imprisonment. His cars were forfeited to
the Federal Government.
Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
March 20, 2019