8th April, 2022
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of one Ernest James for internet fraud.
Ernest was arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos for an offence bordering on retention of proceeds of criminal activity, to wit internet fraud.
Accepting the charges, the defendant pleaded “guilty”.
Following his guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, Ahmed Yerima, gave a review of the facts of the case.
He told the court that the defendant was arrested on September 15, 2021, in the Ajah area of Lagos State, following creditable intelligence received by the Commission.
“He was, upon arrest, taken to the ICT forensic laboratory of the Commission, where his devices were analysed and documents containing fraudulent conversation were printed out,” he said.
Yerima told the Court that the defendant also volunteered his statement, admitting to the allegation against him, and confessing to defrauding an American based in California of N2 million.
The prosecution tendered in evidence his statement, and the fraudulent documents printed out from his device.
Yerima thus urged the Court to convict the defendant as charged and to order the forfeiture of the iPhone 12 Pro Max, N501, 720 in his FCMB account and N200,000 in his Heritage Bank account to the Federal Government.
The defence counsel, A.O. Afuye, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Thereafter, Justice Taiwo pronounced him guilty as charged and sentenced him to six months in prison, with an option of a fine of N200,000.