An Abuja High Court has ordered a student, Ifeanyi Bosah, to cut the grass around the premises of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for one week for internet fraud.
Bosah was arraigned by the EFCC on an attempt to cheat by impersonation, however, pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.
Delivering judgement on Thursday, June 22, the presiding judge, Justice Aliyu Shafa, convicted and sentenced Bosah to cut grass around the commission’s premises for one week.
Justice Shafa ordered the convict to sign a bond of good behaviour for a period of six months.
The judge also ordered that the instrument used by the student to perpetuate the crime should be burnt and the evidence brought before the court.
He said: “I have carefully listened to the plea of allocutus made by the convict and the defence counsel.
“The rate of internet fraud through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, among others in society is so alarming. That he is a first time offender is not an excuse to go scot-free.”
Earlier, the defence counsel, Adam Ilouno, in support of the allocutus by the convict, told the court that Bosah had no previous conviction record and was also remorseful.
The lawyer said: “The convict is a first-time offender. He has not been convicted for any other crime of whatever kind. We urge my lord to tamper justice with mercy.
“We assure this court that going forward, the convict will be of good behaviour.”
The EFCC counsel, M.M. Gwani, told the student pretended to be one Mvngokitty, an American citizen on Twitter, and uploaded pornographic pictures on his Twitter account under the assumed identity of the same Mvngokitty.
He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 95 of the Penal Code Law 1990 (LFN 2004) and punishable under Section 324 of the same Act.
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