Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Lagos Special Offences Court has sentenced a final year student of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Adebowale Abiola, to one year in prison over $104,500 fraud.
Abiola, who was arrested and charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after receiving a report on the activities of Internet fraudsters in the Lekki area of Lagos, was accused of posing as Burton J. Smith, a citizen of the United States of America and former military officer, to defraud one Courtney Kaye.
In an amended charge after a plea bargain, Abiola was arraigned on one count bordering on possession of fraudulent documents containing false pretence, to which he pleaded guilty.
In her judgement, Justice Taiwo sentenced him to one year imprisonment with an option of N300,000 fine. She also ordered the return of the N5 million and a Mercedes Benz GLK recovered from him to the victim through the Federal Government.
