On Wednesday, June 26, a Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, sentenced a fake senator, Tom Makwe to two years imprisonment.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC had arraigned the convict for swindling a Spaniard of 47, 082 Euros.
He was arraigned on two counts of intent to defraud over the internet.
The convict pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.
Delivering judgment, Justice Aliyu Shafa, also gave him an option of a fine of N5 million.
Shafa ordered that the N30 million, and 1,300 dollars recovered from the convict be forfeited to the victim, Maria Del Rosario san Jose Garces through the Spanish embassy in Nigeria and evidence of forfeiture be filed through the registrar of the court within two weeks.
He directed that the items recovered from the convict, including one black Camry 2017 model car, Samsung S 23, Apple iPhone 13 cellphone and HP EliteBook be forfeited to the government and the proceeds of sale be remitted to the victim through the Spanish embassy in Nigeria.
Earlier, the convict in his plea for mercy told the court that he was sincerely sorry for his misconduct and bad character.
“I am a changed person and plead with the court to tamper justice with mercy. I will never have anything to do with internet fraud again,” he pleaded.
The Defence Counsel, Adaji Abel in support of the allocutus by the convict pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy.
Abel said that the convict was a first-time offender, had co-operated with the EFCC investigation, made restitution and had provided useful information to the investigator to arrest other fraudsters.
The Prosecution Counsel, Deborah Adamu-Eteh told the court that the convict between December 12, 2021 and November 12, 2022, with intent to defraud over the internet pretended to be Fahad Tonny Makwe, Bryan and Senator Tompolo.
Adamu-Eteh said the convict claimed to be a white man, Diplomatic Solicitor with a phone number +34613208672.
She said the convict in that assumed character, obtained the sum of 47,082 Euros from one Maria Del Rosario San Jose Garces, a citizen of Spain through a Bitcoin wallet address that he created.