Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, has sentenced one Kolade Emmanuel Balogun to two months of traffic control as punishment for internet fraud.
Balogun was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) on a one-count charge of criminal impersonation.
The charge read: “That you, Kolade Balogun (a.k.a Willam Davis, alias Behemooth) sometime in March, 2020 or thereabout at Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, attempted to commit an offence of cheating by impersonation by pretending and representing yourself to be a white man, called Willam Davis, alias Behemooth to unsuspected white woman on dating site called Seeking Arrangement as it is contained in your gmail account: Willamdavis@gmail.com and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 95 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria.”
He pleaded guilty to the charge, on which the prosecution counsel, Aliyu Adebayo, asked the court to convict him accordingly.
The defence counsel, Rotimi Oyagbola, however prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, arguing that his client was a first-time offender.
Delivering judgment, Justice Oyinloye said the prosecutor proved his case beyond reasonable doubt, considering the unchallenged and incontrovertible testimonies of the witness.
He therefore sentenced Balogun to two months traffic control at the junction behind the Kwara State Ministry of Physical Planning, from August 17 to October 17, 2020, with an option of a N50,000 fine.
The convict also forfeited his phones and laptops to the Federal Government.