Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, May 30, 2025, convicted and sentenced one Adenuga Elijah to one year imprisonment for internet fraud.
He was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one -count charge bordering on impersonation and cybercrimes.
The
count
reads:
“
That
you,
ADENUGA
ELIJAH
OLUWADAMILARE,
(Male)
on
the
12th
day
of
November,
2024
in
Lagos,
within
the
jurisdiction
of
this
Honourable
Court,
fraudulently
held
out
yourself
on
GOOGLE
as
Pearl
Xavier,
with
intention
to
gain
advantage
for
yourself
and
you
thereby
committed
an
offence
contrary
to
and
punishable
under
Section
22
of
the
Cybercrimes
(prohibition
etc)
Act,
Laws
of
the
Federation
of
Nigeria,
2015.”
He
pleaded
“guilty”
to
the charge
when
it
was
read
to
him.
Following his guilty plea, prosecution counsel, Abdulhamid L.Tukur, called on Adams Adze , an operative of the EFCC, to review the facts of the matter.
Adze
told
the
court
that
the
defendant
was
arrested
sometime
in
November
,
2024,
following credible
intelligence received
by
the
Commission
on
the
activities
of
a
syndicate
of
internet
fraudsters
operating
in the
Lekki
area
of
Lagos
State.
He
also
stated
that
an
iPhone
12
Pro
Max
and
HP
laptop computer
were
recovered
from
him
at
the
point
of
arrest.
“Upon
his arrest,
he
was
duly
processed
and
the
defendant
volunteered
his
statements.
Investigations
were
conducted
and
forensic
evidence
was
printed
out
from
his
phone. In
his
statement,
he
confessed
he
was
into
a
dating
scam
and
that
he
had
benefited
the
sum
of
$200
(Two
Hundred
United
States
Dollars),”
he
further
told
the
court.
Continuing,
Adze
informed
the
court
that
the
defendant
had
made
restitution
of
N200,000
(Two
Hundred
Thousand
Naira)
via
a
bank
draft.
Tukur,
thereafter,
sought
to
tender,
in
evidence,
the
defendant’s
extrajudicial
statements,
iPhone,
HP
laptop
computer
and
forensic
investigation
document
print
out.
They were admitted
as
exhibits
by
the
court.
The defendant prayed the court for leniency, adding , “I have started a business and also registered in a polytechnic to further my education”,
Justice Bogoro convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment, with an option of fine of N200,000( Two Hundred Thousand Naira).
The Judge also ordered that the bank draft, mobile phone and HP Laptop be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The convict bagged his imprisonment when he was arrested for internet fraud. He was thereafter charged to court and convicted.
Media & Publicity
June 2, 2025
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