The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday , March 17, 2017, secured the conviction and sentencing of an Internet fraudster, Akintunde Vincent Abiodun, a.k.a. Christopher Williams, before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja.
The 37-year-old convict was arraigned on January 23, 2017 on an amended 12-count charge of stealing and forgery to the tune of N7, 806, 093.00 (Seven Million, Eight Hundred and Six Thousand, and Ninety Three Naira).
Abiodun’s long walk to jail began after he presented himself as Christopher Williams to his victim, Dona Bonni, whom he met on a dating site on the Internet.
The convict, as part of his tricks, had told to Bonni that he inherited gemstones worth $18, 050,000((Eighteen Million and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) from his late father in the United Kingdom.
He also forged an American passport with which he convinced his victim of his purported nationality.
Consequently, the convict dishonestly received various sums of money, at different times, from his victim.
When he was arraigned, he pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him, thereby setting the stage for his trial.
The prosecution counsel, Ola Sesan, tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence and presented witnesses who testified against the accused.
In view of this, the convict later filed an application for plea bargaining before the court.
Delivering his judgment today, Justice Ipaye, however, sentenced the accused to six years imprisonment.
The convict was found guilty and jailed three years each on counts 1 to 11 of stealing. The convict was also found guilty and jailed three years each on count 12 of forgery. The sentences are to run separately from the date of arraignment.
