Court convicts ‘Yahoo Boy’ for impersonation

Glory Ebomah

Justice A. A. Bello of the Kaduna State High Court on Tuesday, May 3, 2023, convicted and sentenced one Jesse Akut to a fine of N150,000 for offences bordering on cheating by impersonation.

Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the defendant was convicted after pleading to one count of impersonation.

The count read: “That you, Jesse Akut sometime in March, 2023 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an offence, to wit; falsely presented yourself as one Nicholson ( A white man) on Telegram and in that assumed character cheated one Karen Lambard the sum of N780,000.00 (Seven Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira) which you obtained via Bitcoin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law of 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law”.

“In view of his plea, Justice Bello convicted and sentenced the defendant to pay a fine of 150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).”

According to him, Jesse was also ordered to pay the sum of N250,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) in restitution to the victim through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Kaduna Zonal Command, on or before the expiration of one month from the date of signing the plea bargain agreement.

He is to further forfeit an Apple MacBook Air Laptop and iPhone 11.