Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday, August 25, 2025, sentenced Chubude Christian Okoli to three months imprisonment for internet fraud. Okoli was arrested on July 13, 2025, at Cruizer Hotel, Ajegunle, Lagos, in a sting operation by the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 following credible intelligence on fraudulent activities at the hotel.
Okoli was charged with cybercrime for impersonating “Donald Wallace” via a Gmail account to defraud unsuspecting victims. He pleaded guilty to the one-count charge under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act.
During court proceedings, EFCC operative Abdulrahman Lamido Muhammad detailed Okoli’s confession, revealing involvement in an online dating scam and illicit gain of $600. Investigators recovered a Samsung S23 Ultra from him, and he restituted N300,000 via a manager’s cheque.
Despite Okoli’s lawyer’s plea for leniency and a non-custodial sentence citing his first-time offender status, Justice Dipeolu sentenced him to three months imprisonment or an option to pay a N1 million fine. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the recovered phone and restitution cheque to the Federal Government.
This ruling underscores continued efforts against cybercrime in Nigeria.
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