Date: 2020-07-10

A judge of the Kwara State High Court, Justice Sikiru Oyinloye, on Thursday, sentenced 25-year-old Victor Salawu to sweep and clear the Government Reservation Area, Ilorin, and pay a fine of N50,000 for his involvement in Internet fraud.

The Ilorin zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Salawu before the court on one count of Internet fraud.

The charge read, "That you, Victor Salawu, alias James Chris, sometime in the month of February 2019, in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did attempt to cheat by impersonation, by portraying yourself as a white male named James Chris, via your email address,

, to one Seth B. in order to induce him to send you money, a representation you knew to be false."

The offence, according to the EFCC, was contrary to Section 95 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

Salawu pleaded guilty to the charge.

At the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday, the prosecuting counsel, Andrew Akoja, told the court about a charge dated June 18, 2020, and prayed that it should be accepted and allowed to be read to the convict.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Oyinloye said, "The defendant, in his statement to the commission, did not deny the allegation levelled against him; he also did not offer any explanation to discredit the charge.

"This honourable court holds that the plea of guilt of the defendant and the oral testimony of the sole prosecution witness, one Umeh Kennedy, were not challenged nor contradicted during the proceedings.

"It is the opinion of this honourable court that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and that you, Victor Salawu, is hereby convicted as charged."

Justice Oyinloye ordered the convict to sweep and clear the Ahmadu Bello Way to the Commissioner of Police's Quarters in the GRA, Ilorin, and also pay a fine of N50,000.

The judge also ordered that the two iPhones recovered from Salawu be forfeited to the Federal Government with a right to re-purchase it.