A Federal High Court on Friday sentenced an internet fraudster, Toba Agbanah, to six months imprisonment for internet fraud of N21.1 million.
Delivering judgment, Justice Patricia Ajoku, convicted and sentenced Agbanah after he pleaded guilty and subsequently went into a plea bargain agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Ajoku held: “This judgment is in line with the provisions of Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 that provides for anyone that enters a plea bargain agreement to be given a reduced sentence.
“However, to serve as warning to others intending to go into similar anti-social behaviour, the convict is sentenced to six months in prison.
“All the exhibits found in his possession are forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
Earlier, Dr. Benedict Ubi, counsel to the EFCC, Ibadan zonal office, had told the court that the convict was arraigned on a-count amended charge bordering on impersonation.
Ubi further stated that Agbanah committed the crime over a period of time, but was first arrested on October 3, 2019 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to the prosecutor, the convict successfully impersonated and defrauded unsuspecting foreigners from the US through his a fictitious email address.
He added that N12.1 million was sent into his banks accounts through Western Union Money Transfer.
He further said other proceeds of the crime included Avenza and a Toyota, laptops, different sophisticated phones and a TV set.
He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 22A (B) of the Cyber Crime Prohibition Act 2015.
Agbanah was originally arraigned on a 30-count charge bordering on unlawful impersonation, forgery and stealing.