Court sentences Nigerian student for scamming Chinese woman

Adakole Peter, a 21-year-old student, was given a one-year prison sentence by the Gwagwalada Division of the FCT High Court on Thursday for scamming a Chinese woman of $50. The defendant was charged with two counts of impersonation and pretending to be a military man by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. 

He asked the judge for leniency after entering a guilty plea to the allegations. In addition, Judge Aliyu Shafa offered him the choice of paying a N150,000 fine before delivering her ruling. 

In addition to ordering the prisoner to sign an affidavit of good behaviour, Mr. Shafa said that the Redmi phone that was used in the crime would be sold and the money would be placed through the EFCC into the federal government's account.

In addition, he mandated that the $50 that was found on the offender be deposited into a federal government account. The prisoner had already assured the judge that he had understood his error and would not do it again in his request for compassion.

“I have repented and realised my mistakes. I plead with the court to tamper justice with mercy,” he pleaded.

In support of the convict's allocutus, defence attorney Bridget Abang implored the court to tamper with justice with mercy. 

In addition to stating that the prisoner was a first-time offender, Ms. Abang begged the court to take into account his plea and age. I.D. Iloakasia, the prosecution's attorney, informed the court that on June 10, the guilty party and his attorney had agreed into and signed a plea agreement. 

According to Mr. Iloakasia, the prisoner under the court's jurisdiction tricked his victim in April and May by posing as a military man named Steve M. Marks.

He claimed that by tricking Ruth Novick, a Chinese national, into sending him $50 gift cards, the prisoner committed an unlawful act. 

After that, the prisoner sold them online for N20,000. The prosecution claimed that the offence was criminal under Section 324 of the same Act and that it violated Section 321 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation Abuja, 1990. 

Prior to this, the prosecution had sought the court to order the forfeiture of the convict's money and instrument to the federal government via the EFCC.

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