The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, under Justice Nicholas Oweibo, has convicted and sentenced one Hakeem Ayotunde Olanrewaju, who was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on identity theft and impersonation, to two years imprisonment.
During his arraignment recently, he pleaded “guilty” to the offence, which is contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2015.
In view of his guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, Babatunde Sonoiki, reviewed the facts of the case, called a witness, and also tendered documents to prove the defendant’s guilt.
Delivering judgment on August 15, 2023, Justice Oweibo found him guilty of the offence and sentenced him to two years imprisonment with the option of a fine in the sum of N200,000.00 (two hundred thousand naira).
The judge ordered the sum of $22,000 (twenty-two thousand US dollars) as well as the N500,000 (five hundred thousand naira) manager’s check recovered from the convict forfeited to the victim.
The mobile devices and gadgets recovered from the convict were ordered forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
