Court jails Internet fraudster one year in Lagos

Babajide Williams

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has convicted and sentenced an internet fraudster, Gafar Olaitan Oyegoke, to one year in prison.

The convict was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, September 27, 2022, on two-count charges bordering on possession of documents containing false pretence.

One of the counts read: “That you, Gafar Olaitan Oyegoke, on or about 29th April 2022 at Lagos, within the Ikeja jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with the intent to defraud, had in your possession a bundle of documents containing false pretence in your textnow number, which pretence you knew or ought to know to be false and committed an offence contrary to Section 320 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”

He pleaded “guilty “to the charge preferred against him.

In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Emeka Omega, prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly. 

Justice Dada convicted him and sentenced him to one year in prison, with an option of a fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira).

The convict’s journey to the Correctional Centre started when he was arrested by operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC, for searching for victims online and

sending them a message of interest on their product lines.  He would bargain with them and order them to deliver the products to him.

Upon delivery of the product, he would then send a fake proof of payment, making the victims believe they have been paid through service@PayPal.com, which he created.”