In a case heard at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, under the jurisdiction of Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, an individual known as Olayiwola Nurudeen Junior, commonly referred to as a ‘Yahoo Boy’, has been convicted and sentenced to 12 months in prison for his involvement in internet impersonation and fraud amounting to $20,000. This decision was reached after Junior pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The prosecution, represented by Zeenat Atiku Bala, informed the court that Junior had posed as a woman named Cynthia Joseph, using a Gmail account to deceive his victims. Additionally, it was revealed that $20,000 obtained through fraudulent means was discovered in Junior’s possession at the time of his arrest in September 2023. The prosecutor pointed out that Junior’s actions violated Sections 22(2)(b) and 18(1)(d) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015, and accordingly requested that the court impose the appropriate punishment.
Following the presentation of arguments by both sides, Justice Aneke handed down a sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment to the fraudster. Additionally, the court provided an alternative option: a fine amounting to N1.5 million in place of the jail term. The charges against Junior outlined that in September 2023, within Lagos jurisdiction, he unlawfully impersonated Cynthia Joseph through his Gmail account with the intent of personal gain, constituting an offense under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015. Furthermore, Junior was accused of concealing the true nature of $20,000, known to be proceeds of criminal activity, which also violated Section 18(1)(d) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment, etc) Act, 2004.
Upon Junior’s admission of guilt, the prosecutor presented evidence and appealed for a sentence in line with the relevant sections of the EFCC Act. However, Junior’s defense counsel, B. A. Omateno, implored Justice Aneke to exercise leniency, considering that his client was a first-time offender with no prior criminal record. Omateno also proposed the option of a fine instead of imprisonment.
