An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Thursday convicted and sentenced one Miracle Tega to one year and two months in prison for possessing fraudulent documents.
Earlier, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Tega on an amended charge of possessing documents under pretences.
The EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, D. I. Oluseyi, told the court on Thursday that Tega committed the offences on or about April 19, 2024, in Lagos.
Oluseyi said the convict had in his possession a document titled, “Google Account Personal info”, printed from his email: sofianrique2001@gmail.com, containing a pretence that he is Sofia Enriquez, a female American citizen, which from the circumstances of this case, he knew or reasonably ought to have known to be false.
According to the EFCC, the offence contravened Section 320 of the Criminal Law, Lagos State 2015.
However, Tega pleaded guilty to the charge against him.
Following his guilty plea, Oluseyi reviewed the case, detailing the evidence against Tega.
Oluseyi stated, “In April 2024, the Lagos Directorate of the EFCC conducted a raid in Victory Estate, Ajah, Lekki area of Lagos State, during which the convict was arrested.”
Oluseyi further explained, “In Tega’s presence, we analysed an iPhone 11 and a Tecno Spark 9. Multiple documents were printed, revealing conversations where the convict posed as an American woman, Sofia Enriquez, in fraudulent communications with an American man, Cheri Briddle.”
The prosecutor added that Tega had received $100 from the fraudulent activity, though he had since refunded N100,000.
Oluseyi presented statements made by Tega and fraudulent documents obtained from his devices, as well as the iPhone 11 and Tecno Spark 9.
With no objection from Tega’s counsel, Bukola Niniola, the court accepted all items and admitted the exhibits in evidence.
The prosecutor then urged the court to convict Tega and to order the forfeiture of his devices to the Federal Government.
Justice Rahman Oshodi, after reviewing the evidence, found Tega guilty as charged.
Before the pronouncement of the sentence, Justice Oshodi gave the convict an opportunity to speak, and he appealed for leniency.
His counsel also asked the court to show mercy, noting, “The convict is a first-time offender.”
Consequently, Justice Oshodi sentenced Tega to a year and two months imprisonment.