Date: 2021-02-16

The Kwara State High Court in Ilorin has sentenced a 34-year-old graduate of Agricultural Science, Kelvin Monye, to six months imprisonment for internet romance scam.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stated in a tweet via its verified account, Monday, that the trial judge, Mahmood Abdulgafar, ordered the convict to forfeit N460,000 and other valuables suspected to be proceeds of the crime to the Federal Government.

EFCC had preferred two charges against the convict alleging that he sometime in June 2018 fraudulently presented himself as a white male named Hassan via his email address to one Louise Evan "and induced her to send you $1000 in gift cards."

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Review of facts

While reviewing the facts of the case, Olasode Olumide, an operative of the EFCC, told the court that Mr Monye was arrested on January 13, 2021.

"He was profiled and in the process, an iPhone 6 and a Sony Laptop were recovered from him," Mr Olumide said.

The witness said different fraudulent documents were printed out from Mr Monye's email in the presence of his lawyer.

He stated that further findings showed that the defendant was a Nigerian, but claimed to be an American citizen.

He said the defendant in the course of investigation brought a draft of N460, 000 as restitution of his crime." Judgment

In his judgment, Mr Abdulgafar convicted and sentenced Mr Monye to three months imprisonment on each of the two counts, adding that the sentences would run concurrently.

The judge also ordered that the iPhone 6 and Sony Laptop, which were used as instruments of the crime, be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria, including the sum of N460,000 which he restituted.

Petition

EFCC said it started investigating the convict on January 12, 2021 when some concerned residents of Tanke area in Ilorin petitioned the commission.

The petitioners, according to the EFCC, complained about the activities of some internet fraudsters around the neighbourhood.

EFCC said the investigations led to his arres