Court Jails Undergraduate For Romance Scam

Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has convicted and sentenced Ganiyu Alabi, a 20-year-old undergraduate, to one year and two months imprisonment for engaging in romance fraud.

Justice Oshodi jailed Alabi after he entered into a plea bargain agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of possessing fraudulent documents contravening Section 320 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.

In his judgment, Justice Oshodi held that he had considered the damage cybercrime has on Nigeria’s international reputation and the defendant’s timely plea bargain, which had saved judicial time and resources.

The judge, however, held that he did not believe the defendant was genuinely sorry because he had lied to the court earlier.

The court stated, “I do not believe you are genuinely sorry because you lied to this court that you started internet fraud this year, whereas, in your confessional statement, it showed you began in 2023.

“Have you been convicted of possessing fraudulent documents? I now sentence you to one year and two months imprisonment or the payment of an N1 million fine.

“You shall also serve two months of community service with the Lagos State community service unit, and a report of activity shall be submitted at the end of the service.

“You shall also be registered as an offender in the state,” the judge held.

In his review of facts earlier, the EFCC counsel, Ahmad Usman, informed the court that the convict was arrested in a sting operation in Lekki sometime in April.

Usman told the court that the convict had in his possession fraudulent documents in which he represented himself as one Leana Decker, a white female, to unsuspecting members of the public.