LAUTECH student lands in prison for $104,500 fraud

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, had sentenced and undergraduate of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Adebowale Abiola, to one year imprisonment for defrauding an American $104,500.

He was arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who arrested him after receiving a report on the activities of Internet fraudsters in the Lekki area of Lagos.

Abiola was said to have presented himself as Burton J. Smith, a citizen of the United States of American and former military officer, defrauded one Courtney Kaye the sum of $104,500.

He pleaded guilty to the one count charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents containing false pretence, pressed against him by the EFCC.

Following his plea, the prosecuting counsel, I. A. Mohammed, told the court about the plea bargain Abiola entered into with the commission and also reviewed the facts of the case.

In her ruling, Justice Taiwo sentenced Abiola to one year imprisonment with an option of N300,000 fine.

The judge ordered that the N5m and a black Mercedes Benz GLK, with number plate AKD 573 GK, recovered from him be returned to the victim through the Federal Government.