The Lagos Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Nonso Joseph Ekeocha at a court sitting in Ikeja over impersonation and internet romance scam.
In a statement released by the anti-graft agency on Wednesday, the presiding judge, Justice O.O. Abike-Fadipe convicted and sentenced the defaulter to one-year imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the charge with an option of N500,000 and 50 hours of community service.
The count reads: “Nonso Joseph Ekeocha, on or about the 27th June, 2024 in Lagos, within the judicial division of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, had in your possession, ‘Instagram Profile Account’, wherein you represented yourself as Ronald Gregory, and other related documents for an online dating scam, which you knew or ought to know to be false,” He pleaded “guilty” to the charge.
According to an operative of the commission, Saifullahi, the defendant was arrested on June 29, 2024 alongside others while confessing to computer-related fraud.
The arrest led to the extraction of a bundle of fraudulent documents from the defaulters including an Iphone 12 pro max and Samsung S-10 which will subsequently be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The statement read “Upon his arrest, he was brought to the EFCC office. Items recovered from him at the point of arrest were iPhone 12 pro max and Samsung S-10 phones, which were analysed through a forensic examination.
“The analysis revealed fraudulent documents about the defendant’s involvement in an online dating scam, where he represented himself as a male American bearing Ronald Gregory.
“He informed the Commission that he usually carried out the fraudulent activities by sending love messages randomly online to members of the public and that those who showed interest in having a relationship were asked for financial assistance.
“The judge also ordered that both the Iphone 12 pro max and Samsung S-10 recovered from him be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
During the hearing, Nonso, who was given the chance to speak, begged the court to “temper justice with mercy” and vowed never to engage in online fraud ever again.
“Consequently, Justice Fadipe sentenced him to one year imprisonment, with an option of N500,000.00 and 50 hours of community service,” the statement concluded.