Court Jails Impersonator For 18 Months

An Oshodi Senior Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, on Monday sentenced a 40-year-old man, Daramola Abiodun, to 18 months imprisonment for impersonation.

Abiodun, who was on trial on a two-count charge of impersonation and extortion, pleaded guilty to the charge of impersonation to bag the sentence.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge of extortion.

The prosecutor, CPL. Kehinde Olatunde, had told the court that Abiodun committed the offence on 12 December, at about 7.30 p.m, at Mechanic Village, Cappa, Ilupeju, Lagos.

Olatunde said Abiodun impersonated a member of the Nigeria Police Force by showing a forged identity card to one Shittu Alimi.

“The accused falsely acted under the authority of the Nigeria Police Force and extorted money from Mr Shittu Alimi,” Olatunde said.

He said the complainant and three others reported the matter to the DPO at Makinde Police Station, Oshodi.

“The DPO investigated the matter and apprehended the accused. A Nigeria Police Force ID card with F/NO 397932, was found on him and squeezed currency notes amounting to N1,830, was also found.

“During investigation, it was discovered that he was never a member of the force and that the ID card was fake, “ he said.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened Sections 69 (2) (b) and 78 (b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

Magistrate M.R. Osho-Adebiyi, after sentencing the accused to an 18-month imprisonment without an option of fine for impersonation, adjourned till January 6, 2012, for continuation of his trial on the extortion charge.