Man Jailed for N45,000 Internet Fraud

Malik Yahya/

A Kaduna State High Court, in Kaduna, today, sentenced an internet fraudster, Abdulquadri Abdulrasheed, to six months imprisonment for $900 (about N45,000) romance scam.

The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had arraigned Abdulrasheed before Justice Darius Khobo on charges of cheating by impersonation.

The defendant was accused of defrauding his victims by professing love to them on Hangout, using the false name of Leo Jin Young, a United Kingdom citizen.

He had reportedly earned a cumulative sum of $900 before his arrest by the EFCC.

The one count charge reads “That you, Abdulquadri Abdulrasheed  “m” between the months of April and September, 2021 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court pretended to be one Leo Jin Young, a British citizen residing in United Kingdom (UK) on Hangout App which you created and in such, assumed character, obtained the total sum of $900(Nine Hundred Untied States of America Dollars) from Kira Hendley and others unsuspecting persons and you thereby committed cheating by impersonation, an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Law, 2017 of Kaduna State and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”

Abdulrasheed pleaded guilty to the charge.

The judge, consequently, convicted and sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment without an option of fine. He was also mandated to sign an undertaking never to engage in any cybercrime offence again.

The convict will forfeit the sum of $900 to the Federal Government of Nigeria, being proceeds of crime.