Fake American soldier bags two years jail term in Kaduna

A Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) successfully prosecuted and obtained a two-year jail sentence for Jesse Joshua Kassah, also known as Devaun Smith Wayne. Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court handed down the sentence after Kassah pleaded guilty to a single-count charge related to impersonation during his arraignment by the EFCC.

The specific charge against Kassah stated that between January and October 2023 in Kaduna, he committed the offense of falsely presenting himself as Devaun Smith Wayne, a U.S. military personnel and ticket salesman on Facebook. This pretense was made to deceive Caitlin Morgan, constituting an offense under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.

Upon the reading of the charge, Kassah admitted guilt. Prosecution counsel M. Arumemi, based on the defendant’s plea, requested the court to convict and sentence him accordingly. Subsequently, Justice Khobo convicted Kassah and imposed a two-year prison term, allowing for an alternative option of a N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) fine.

Additionally, the judge ordered the forfeiture of the Samsung Galaxy A02 phone, used in the commission of the offense, to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Kassah’s arrest in the Karji area of Kaduna stemmed from his involvement in internet-related offenses, where he exploited the identity of an American soldier, Devaun Smith Wayne, to perpetrate fraudulent activities against unsuspecting victims.