The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced two men, Agboola Abdullahi Abiodun and Victor Okonjo, over separate charges involving money laundering and fraudulent impersonation.
The convictions followed separate arraignments by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice F.N. Ogazi.
Abiodun was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on money laundering, while Okonjo faced a two-count charge involving fraudulent impersonation and related cybercrime offences.
The charges against Abiodun included an allegation that he disguised part of the origin of an illicit gain from a dating scam by using the proceeds to acquire a black Toyota Venza.
One of the charges against Okonjo alleged that he fraudulently impersonated Aaron Bauer, a male citizen of the United States, with the intention of gaining an advantage for himself.
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Following their pleas, the prosecution counsel, F.B. Orilade, reviewed the facts of the cases and urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
Justice Ogazi subsequently found both defendants guilty and sentenced them to various terms of imprisonment.
Abiodun was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on count one, one year on count two and one year on count three.
Okonjo was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment, with an option of a N500,000 fine, on count one and four years’ imprisonment on count two.
The court ordered that the terms of imprisonment imposed on the convicts should run concurrently, with effect from the dates of their arrest.
The court also ordered the forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria of their mobile devices, laptops, a Toyota Venza and a 2020 Mercedes-Benz.
Justice Ogazi further directed that the forfeited assets be sold and the proceeds returned to the victims.
The judge ordered that where the victims could not be traced, the proceeds of the sale should be paid into the coffers of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
