On Wednesday, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, convicted and sentenced Aluko Tunmise, a social media influencer and model, to one-year imprisonment for scamming.
He was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC on a one-count charge of cybercrimes.
One of the counts revealed that the influencer took on a false identity in Lagos between January and March 2024.
It partly read, ‘‘You held yourself out as a white man by name “KEANU REEVES” on your Telegram Account, knowing same to be false and with the intent that the representation is relied upon to procure the issuance of financial instrument to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.”
Guilty as charged
He pleaded “guilty” to the charge when it was read to him.
Following his guilty plea, prosecution counsel C.C. Okezie sought to present an EFCC operative, Vincent Kwambuge, to review the facts of the matter.
Mr Kwanbuge told the court that the defendant was arrested in March 2024 at Lekki County Estate, Lagos, following credible intelligence from the Commission on the activities of some internet fraudsters operating in the area.
According to him, an iPhone 12 Pro Max was recovered from the defendant at the point of arrest.
The prosecution counsel also told the court that “he was duly processed upon his arrest, and the defendant volunteered his statements. The investigation was conducted, and forensic evidence was printed from his phone.
“In his statement, he confessed to being involved in a celebrity scam, which involves impersonating celebrities.”
Therefore, Mr Okezie sought to introduce the defendant’s extra-judicial statements, iPhone, and forensic investigation documents as evidence.
Justice Aneke admitted them as exhibits.
Plea
Counsel to the defendant, A.O. Idowu, prayed to the court for leniency, saying that the defendant “is a first-time offender and is sorry for his actions.”
He also prayed the court for a non-custodial sentence.
Justice Aneke convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment, with an option of a fine of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) and 100 hours of community service.
The judge also ordered his mobile phone to be forfeited to the Nigerian federal government.
Tunmise bagged his imprisonment for impersonating celebrities for financial gains.
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