A Lagos court jails two people for money laundering

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 has secured the conviction and sentence of two fraudsters before Justice FN Ogazi of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, for money laundering and fraudulent impersonation.

The two convicts, Agboola Abdullahi Abiodun and Victor Okonjo, were charged separately on charges bordering on money laundering and cybercrime offences.

Agboola was charged with three counts, one of which read: “That you AGBOOLA ABDULLAHI ABIODUN sometime in the year 2025 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, indirectly disguised part of the origin of your ill-gotten gains derived from your unlawful acts, namely: dating fraud, to a Black Toyota Venza, the property of which was part of the proceeds of your unlawful activities, and thereby you committed an offense contrary to Section 18(2)(a) and punishable under Article 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

Likewise, one of the two charges filed against Okonjo reads: “That you, VICTOR OKONJO, sometime in the year 2025, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court fraudulently impersonated Aaron Bauer, a male citizen of the United States of America by concealing yourself as such, with intent to gain an advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.”

The defendants pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them.

In view of their pleas, the prosecutor, FB Orilade reviewed the facts of the cases, and urged the court to convict and impose appropriate sentences.

Judge Ogazi found them guilty of the offense and sentenced them as follows:

Agboola Abdullahi Abiodun was sentenced to four years in prison on the first count, one year on the second count, and one year on the third count.

Victor Okonjo was sentenced to one year in prison with the option of a fine of N500,000 on the first count and four years’ imprisonment on the second count.

The judge ordered that the prison sentences imposed on the convicts be served concurrently, starting from the date of their arrest.

Subsequently, their mobile devices, laptops, Toyota Venza and Mercedes-Benz 2020 were ordered to be handed over to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Judge Ogazi also ordered that the lost assets be sold and the proceeds returned to the victims. He added that if the victims could not be traced, then the proceeds should be paid into the treasury of the Federal Government of Nigeria.