An Ikeja High court presided over by Justice Lateefa Okunnu has convicted and sentenced an undergraduate of Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University, Malaysia, Hope Olusegun Aroke, to 24 years imprisonment over an internet scam involving N25 million.
Justice Okunnu found the convict guilty of the two-count charge of forgery and obtaining money under false pretence leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The 25 years old undergraduate was accused of obtaining money by false pretence from his victims; cloning of bank cheque, wire transfer and forgery.
After reviewing the case, Justice Okunnu found him guilty of the count charges and sentenced him to twelve years imprisonment on each of the two counts.
Aroke’s fraudulent act became a public issue when an anonymous petitioner wrote to the EFCC, alleging that the convict who hails from Kogi state was involved in some online fraudulent acts, which compelled the EFCC to commence investigation leading to Aroke’s arrest and prosecution.
Investigations revealed that he was involved in several romance scam that fetched him a total sum of 4,000 Ringgit ( Malaysian currency).
He admitted sending the money to Nigeria through one Angela, who later helped him deposit its naira equivalent, N25m in a new generation bank.
Upon his arrest, two exotic cars valued at N23 million were recovered from him.
Justice Okunnu held that Aroke is guilty as charged while sentencing him to 12 years on each count, which will run concurrently.
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