The Federal High Court in Lagos Justice Alexander Owoeye of has convicted and sentenced one Olukeye Olalekan to a total of 76 years imprisonment for defrauding foreigners by obtaining their nude photographs to blackmail them.
Justice Owoeye jailed Olalekan after founding the defendant guilty of an 18-count charge bordering on distribution and procurement of child pornography, cyberstalking, retention of proceeds of fraud, disguising the origin of fraudulent funds, and obtaining property under false pretences brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
EFCC counsel Bilkisu Buhar-Bala told the judge that the convict was arrested on August 4, 2023, in the Akute area of Ogun State, following intelligence received from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Buhar-Bala also told the court that the defendant hacked into some social media accounts, posing as a young, attractive woman to entice unsuspecting victims, and seeking their sexually explicit photographs, including the nude images of a 14-year-old Canadian boy, Robin Janjus.
She further told the court that investigation revealed that the suspect later used the nude images of the teenager to blackmail him, leading to his death.
The prosecutor also alleged that during a search conducted on his residence in Ilaro, Ogun State by operatives of the anti-graft agency, a mobile phone with incriminating documents was recovered from the convict.
During the trial, the prosecution called five witnesses, including two investigators whose testimonies were crucial to the prosecution’s case.
Investigations revealed that the British Columbia Serious Crime Unit had opened an inquiry into the murder of 14-year-old Janjus who was found dead at home.
Digital forensics on the victim’s phone led authorities to social media accounts operated by the defendant.
Subsequently, an undercover operation was launched, revealing that the convict had posed as a female from North Carolina.
Through platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram, he solicited and obtained property under false pretences, threatened to transmit nude images of minors, and engaged in multiple fraudulent transactions involving gift cards and cryptocurrency.
The EFCC had told the court that the offence of the distribution and procurement of child pornography was contrary to Section 23(1)(c) and Section 23(1)(f), and punishable under Section 23(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act of 2015.
Also, cyberstalking and fraud are punishable under Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act of 2015 and Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022.
The anti-graft agency also informed the court that disguising the origin of fraud proceeds and obtaining property under false pretences contravenes Section 16(2)(a) and punishable under Section 16(3) of the same Act and Section 1(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006.
