A Lagos High Court in Ikeja on Thursday sentenced an undergraduate, Michael Opaleye, to 18 months' imprisonment for swindling an American lady, Kathy Lunsford, of 9,200 dollars (N1.4 million).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Aishat Opesanwo sentenced the 28-year-old student after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Opaleye, who claimed to be a student of computer science at the University of Lagos, had entered into a plea bargain deal with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In her judgment, Opesanwo said the date of imprisonment would commence from March 15, the date Opaleye was first arraigned.
The convict was arraigned on a three-count charge of obtaining by false pretences and forgery.
The judge also ordered the convict to pay N100,000 monthly to the victim, through the EFCC, after his release from prison till he offsets the full sum.
“The convict is also to forfeit the electronic appliances and other items purchased with the proceeds of the crime, which were recovered from his house during the investigation of the EFCC.”
EFCC counsel, Mr Anselem Ozioko, said Opaleye, who resides at 14, Mutairu St., Shangisha Magodo, had committed the offences between 2008 and 2011.
Ozioko said that the convict had swindled Lunsford by making a bogus marriage proposal to her through e-mail.
He said Opaleye had convinced her to send him the money as part of his travelling expenses from the United Kingdom to the U.S.
According to him, the convict also forged a Nigeria Driver’s Licence No. WWD24174AAJ, which he claimed was issued by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
Ozioko said the convict, who also goes by the alias of Bentley Lyon, forged a bank draft which he claimed was issued by the Bank of Ireland, Dublin.
He said Opaleye's offences had contravened sections 419 and 467 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2003.
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