The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced a man, Chubude Christian Okoli, to three months in prison for internet fraud.
The judgment was delivered on Monday by Justice D.I. Dipeolu.
Okoli was apprehended on July 13, 2025, during a sting operation conducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at Cruizer Hotel in Ajegunle, Lagos.
The operation was launched following intelligence reports about individuals allegedly engaged in internet fraud at the location.
He was arraigned on a single-count charge of cybercrime for fraudulently impersonating “Donald Wallace” via the Gmail account donaldwallace6506@gmail.com to deceive the public for financial gain.
This act violates Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition Prevention etc.) Act, 2015.Okoli pleaded guilty to the charge.
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During the review of the case, EFCC operative Abdulrahman Lamido Muhammad testified that the defendant confessed to his involvement in an online dating scam and admitted to profiting from it by $600.
The court was also informed that a Samsung S23 Ultra phone was recovered from him and that he had restituted the sum of ₦300,000 via a manager’s cheque.
Despite his lawyer, K.B. Ijaodola, pleading for a non-custodial sentence because he was a first-time offender, Justice Dipeolu found Okoli guilty based on his plea and the evidence presented.
The judge sentenced Okoli to three months in prison but offered an alternative fine of ₦1 million.
Additionally, the court ordered that the Samsung S23 Ultra and the ₦300,000 manager’s cheque be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
