I made $6500 through impersonation on Instagram – Lagos plumber
Published By: Ayorinde Oluokun
By Sandra Umeh
A 24-year old Lagos plumber Precious Oruche, on Tuesday confessed that he made the sum of 6,500 dollars from fraudulently impersonating one Nancy Dorer on Instagram.
He made the confessions after pleading guilty to impersonation on Instagram.
Oruche pleaded guilty to a one-count-charge bordering on the offence, which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) levelled against him at a Federal High Court in Lagos.
The defendant, standing trial before Justice Ayokunle Faji, admitted committing the offence, said to have been carried out in September 2022.
After his plea, the prosecutor, Mr S.I Suleiman, reviewed the facts of the case through a witness, Mr Daniel John, an operative with the EFCC.
The witness told the court how the defendant was arrested following intelligence by the commission.
He said that items recovered from the defendant include an iphone 11, a gray colour Toyota Venza car model 2010, one gold necklace, three gold bracelets and one gold ring.
The prosecutor applied to show the witness the items seized from the defendant and the witness confirmed same to the court.
He tendered the items before the court and they were admitted and marked as exhibits A to K
The court stood down the matter briefly so as to examine the Toyota Venza car exhibit, which the prosecution said was parked in the court’s compound.
After examining same as well as the chassis number, the court also admitted and marked the car as exhibit L.
The prosecutor urged the court to proceed and convict the defendant based on his plea as well as the evidence led by prosecution.
The court consequently held: “In line with section 274 of the ACJA, I find you guilty of the said charge and I pronounce you guilty.”
When asked to tell the court about himself, the convict said that he is a plumber born on Nov. 20, 2000, and a secondary school graduate.
The convict said that he made the sum of 6,500 dollars from his illegal deal.
During a plea for mercy, on his behalf, defence counsel urged the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convict, as he did not waste the time of the court but pleaded guilty.
The court has adjourned the case until Nov. 1, for sentence of the convict.
The court directed that the convict be remanded in custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending sentence.
According to the charge, the convict committed the offence in September 2022.
He was said to have fraudulently impersonated one Nancy Dorer on his Instagram page, by holding out himself as such, so as to gain advantage to himself .
The offence contravenes the provisions of section 22(2) of the Cybercrime Prohibition Act, 2015. (NAN)
