The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, secured the conviction of one Olanrewaju Temitope before Justice A. A Bello of the Kaduna State High Court on a one-count charge bordering on cybercrime.
The charge reads, “that you, Olanrewaju Temitope ‘M’ sometimes between January 2022 to July 2022 in Kaduna within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court dishonestly induced one Elexis McCrills ( on Instagram, a social media application) to deliver to you the sum of 400 USD ( Four Hundred U.S Dollars) when you portrayed yourself to be Lisa Marie Boothe (a female which you knew you were not) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the Same Law”.
He pleaded guilty and the prosecuting counsel, P.C Onyeneho urged the court to convict the defendant accordingly. Justice Bello convicted and sentenced the defendant to 5years imprisonment or pay a fine of One Hundred Thousand Naira. In addition, he is to forfeit his Infinix Zero X cell phone with IMEI numbers 351240990699206, and 3512400990699214, which was used to commit the crime, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Temitope was arrested in a sting operation at his hideout located on Joel Bala Street, Gbagyi Villa Kaduna. Investigation revealed that he operated a fake Facebook and Instagram account where he assumed the identities of one Lisa Marie to defraud unsuspecting victims, mostly American residents, of their hard-earned money.
