The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Office, has secured the conviction and sentencing of one Badmus Oladimeji, an Internet fraudster, for possession of fraudulent documents before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
The convict was arrested following a petition received by the Commission sometime in 2018 on his involvement in love scam.
At today’s sitting, the prosecution counsel, S.O. Daji, informed the court of an amended two-count charge and a plea bargain agreement dated February 1, 2019 entered into by the defendant with the Commission.
He prayed that the charge be read to the defendant to enable him take his plea.
Count one reads: “That you, Badmus Sheriff Oladimeji (aka Nicole Michael), on or about the 29th day of June, 2018 in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, had in your possession document titled “Looking for an activity partner” in which you represented yourself to one Warmage Lee as Nicole Michael (a female), a representation you knew or ought to have known to be false and committed an offence contrary to Section 318 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”
The defendant pleaded “guilty” to the charge preferred against him.
In view of his plea, the prosecution filed a review of facts and sought to adopt same to support the case.
Daji also told the court that “in the course of the investigation, the defendants and some others were arrested for possessing fraudulent documents.
“A Lenovo laptop was recovered and analysed, wherein the fraudulent documents were printed out from his email address.
“In compliance with the Section 84 of the Evidence Act, we seek to tender the documents, statements of the convict and his laptop.”
He, therefore, urged the court to convict the defendant.
Counsel for the defendant, Z.S. Makinde, in his allocutus, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in convicting his client.
Makinde submitted that they agreed to a plea bargain in order not to waste the time of the court.
He also prayed that his client be sentenced from the time of his arrest and/or should be given an option of fine.
Justice Dada found him guilty on both counts and convicted him accordingly.
The Judge sentenced him to one year imprisonment commencing from August 28, 2018.
The judge also gave the convict an option of fine of N150,000.
Justice Dada ordered that his laptop be forfeited to the Federal Government.
