Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, convicted and sentenced the duo of Joshua Victor David and Abdulmalik Adesanya Olayiwola to one year imprisonment each for impersonation.
They were arraigned on one-count separate charges bordering on fraudulent impersonation by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The charge against David read “That you, Joshua Victor David, sometime in August, 2025, at Lagos, within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one “Clara Jane” by holding yourself out as such to one John Brill, an unsuspecting victim, via email address monexmindedloas767@gmail.com, with intent to gain advantage for yourself; and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015”.
The charge against Olayiwola read “That you, ABDULMALIK ADESANYA OLAYIWOLA, sometime in August 2025, at Lagos, within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one kylie Dowdy by holding yourself out as such on Facebook App, with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015”.
They each pleaded “guilty” to the offence when it was read to them.
In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Fadeke Giwa and Ukoha Nwandu, reviewed the facts of the cases, and thereafter, tendered the defendants’ statements as well as the mobile devices recovered from them.
They also urged the court to convict them as charged.
Justice Owoeye therefore convicted and sentenced David to one year imprisonment, with the option of a fine of N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira).
The judge also ordered forfeited the convict’s iPhone 16 and the bank draft valued at N250, 000.00 to Federal Government of Nigeria.
Olayiwola was sentenced to one year imprisonment, with the option of a fine of N600,000.00.
The convicts bagged their imprisonment when they were arrested for internet fraud. They were charged to court and convicted.
