A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gwagwalada on Thursday ordered forfeiture of an internet fraudster Precious Ogheneviomeze’s iPhone.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Ogheneviomeze with cheating by impersonating an American doctor.
He pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.
Delivering judgment, Justice Aliyu Shafa also sentenced him to one year imprisonment.
Shafa, convicted and sentenced Ogheneviomeze, while giving him an option to pay a fine of N150,000.
Shafa ordered that the iPhone 11 used as instrument for exploit be forfeited to the federal government.
He said that the forfeited property should be sold by the EFCC and the proceed realised be deposited in government account.
He said this would serve as a deterrent to anyone that wanted to toe the part of the convict.
Earlier, the convict had pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that he would not indulge in such act again.
He promised to be of good behaviour from now onward, adding that he has gotten a job which he hope to fall back to.
The Defence Counsel, Mr S.O. Abubakar in support of the allocutus by the convict, told the court that Ogheneviomeze, who had no previous conviction record in Nigeria, was very remorseful and repentant.
Abubakar urged the court to tamper just with mercy, adding that the convict regrets his action.
“He has regretted his action and willing to turn a new leave. He has made complete restitution of what he benefited from the act of crime.
“I plead with my Lord not to condemn the convict but grant him a second chance,” he pleaded.
The Prosecution Counsel, Gabrielle Ushie told the court that the convict sometimes in 2024 within the jurisdiction of the court, cheated by personation when he pretending to be one Davis Harris an American doctor .
Ushie said that the convict created a fake Facebook/Google Chat account and benefited the sum of $3000 from his victim Mariene Crowell.
She said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 321 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code,