A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced one Adenuga Elijah Oluwadamilare to one year in prison for impersonation and cybercrime-related offences.
Justice Yellim Bogoro delivered the judgment after Adenuga pleaded guilty to a one-count charge filed against him by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the charge, on November 12, 2024, Adenuga falsely presented himself on Google as “Pearl Xavier” with the intent to fraudulently obtain an advantage for himself, an offence in violation of Section 22 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Upon his arraignment, prosecution counsel Abdulhamid Tukur presented Adams Adze, an EFCC operative, who reviewed the facts of the case before the court.
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Adze testified that the defendant was apprehended in November 2024 following credible intelligence on a syndicate of internet fraudsters operating around the Lekki axis of Lagos State.
“At the time of his arrest, an iPhone 12 Pro Max and an HP laptop computer were recovered from him.
“He confessed to engaging in online dating scams and admitted to receiving $200 from one of his victims,” Adze stated.
The EFCC operative further informed the court that forensic evidence retrieved from the defendant’s phone corroborated his confession.
During the course of the investigation, Adenuga also made a restitution of ₦200,000 via a bank draft.
Tukur then tendered the defendant’s extrajudicial statements, the seized gadgets, and forensic printouts as exhibits.
Justice Bogoro admitted them into evidence. Pleading for leniency, Adenuga told the court he had turned a new leaf, started a business, and enrolled in a polytechnic to continue his education.
In delivering judgment, Justice Bogoro sentenced him to one year in prison, with an option of a ₦200,000 fine.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the iPhone, HP laptop, and the bank draft to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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