22-year-old is imprisoned by a Lagos court for scamming locals

Abiola Emmanuel, 22, was given a two-year prison sentence for fraud by Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offenses Court in Ikeja, Lagos State.

The defendant was charged with retention of criminal proceeds on just one count.

"That you, Abiola Emmanuel, on or about March 17, 2022, in Lagos, within the Ikeja jurisdiction of this honourable court, retained in your control the aggregate sum of $38,000, one HP Elite X2 laptop, one Navy Blue Hublot Fission wristwatch, and one diamond-encrusted Cartier Santos wristwatch, being proceeds of criminal conduct, deceitfully obtained from unsuspecting members of the public," read the charge.

According to Section 333 of the Lagos State Criminal Law from 2015, the offence is punishable.

To the charge, the defendant entered a guilty plea.

Z.A. Makinde, the defence attorney, begged the judge for leniency.

The materials seized from the defendant during the arrest were recognised by Michelle Wandoo, a representative of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, and they were presented as exhibits.

Emmanuel was given a two-year prison term with the possibility of a fine of N20,000,000.