Justice I. Nwosu of the FCT High Court Maitama, Abuja, has sentenced one Nelson Solomon to a one year imprisonment or to pay N50, 000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) fine for internet fraud.
Solomon was prosecuted on a two-count charge, bordering on impersonation, cheating and obtaining by false pretence after he was arrested by the Abuja Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Count one of his charges reads:
“That you Nelson Solomon, sometime in 2024 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court committed the offence of cheating by impersonation when you fraudulently induced one Webbi J.W. Mary to deliver the sum if $100 (One Hundred United States Dollars) to you by pretending to be one John Scott, an American engineer and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Act Laws of the Federation 2004 and punishable under Section 324 of the same Act.”
Count two reads:
“That you Nelson Solomon sometime in 2024 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court committed the offence of cheating by impersonation when you fraudulently induced one Miguela Okayama to deliver the sum of $100 (One Hundred United States Dollars) to you by pretending to be one William Fernando, an American and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Act Laws of the Federation 2004 and punishable under Section 324 of the same Act.”
He pleaded “guilty” to the charges, prompting prosecution counsel G.I. Ushie to pray the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.
Justice Nwosu thereafter convicted and sentenced him to a one year imprisonment or to pay N50, 000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited his Iphone to the federal government.
