An FCT High Court on Thursday ordered one Okwo Mark to clean the premises of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for three days as part of penalties for committing internet fraud.
The convict was arrested by the EFCC, after he attempted through deception to act as an American citizen, Stella Coleman, working as an FBI agent.
The accused who pleaded guilty to the charge, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Aliyu Shafa, while delivering his verdict, sentenced Mark to three months imprisonment or to pay a fine of N50,000.
The judge also ordered Mark to clean the EFCC office from 8 a.m. to noon, under the supervision of an official of the Legal Department.
Shafa ordered that the phone used by the convict to perpetuate the crime be destroyed by burning, while evidence of the destruction should be brought before the court.
Justice Shafa said that, “I have carefully listened to the plea of allocutus made by the said convict and the defence Counsel.
“The rate of internet fraud especially among youths in the society is so alarming and the court will not allow the convict to go unpunished as this will serve as a deterrent to others that wants to toll same path.”
Justice Shafa equally ordered that the financial benefits derived from the crime amounting 500 US dollars should be returned to the nominal complainant and the receipt brought back to the court as evidence.
He said that following this will help to portray the country in good light.
Earlier, Okwo Mark had pleaded for court to show leniency, promising that he would not indulge in such act again.
The Defence Counsel, B.E. Danjuma, in support of the allocutus by the convict, told the court that Mark, who had no previous conviction record in Nigeria was remorseful and repentant.
He said that, “Mark, is a young man who was caught up with bad company.
“He is just 21 years with a promising future.
“He regrets the consequences of his act.
“The convict has shown remorse and genuinely repented over the crime he has committed against the nation, by way of expressing genuine repentance he has restituted the proceed of crime which is the sum of 500 U.S dollar.
“The convict is a first time offender. We urge my Lord to tamper justice with mercy.”
The EFCC Counsel, M.M.Gwani, told the court that Mark sometime in 2022 within the jurisdiction of the Court cheated.
Gwani said that the convict had deceived while pretending to be Stella Coleman, an American citizen working with the FBI agent.
He said that the convict cheated by inducing Arnold under the pretence to deliver to him 500 U.S Dollars which the convict used for his own personal use.
The EFCC counsel said that the offence was in contravention of the provisions of Section 320 of the Penal Code Act Law of the Federation (Abuja), 1990 and punishable under Section 322 of the same Act.
He pleaded with the court that the instrument used for the crime be forfeited and the proceed retuned by to the complainant.
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