Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has convicted and sentenced an Internet fraudster, Efe Godwin Okoye, a.k.a. Thomas Derek, to nine months imprisonment for possession of a fraudulent document, an offence contrary to Section 320 (1) (c) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State No. 11 of 2015.
He was arraigned on Monday, May 13, 2019 on a one-count charge bordering on possession of a fraudulent document, following his arrest by officials of the EFCC during a raid at the Iyana Era area of Lagos State on February 13, 2019.
The charge reads: “That you, Efe Godwin Okoye, a.k.a. Thomas Derek, on or about the 13th day of February 2019, at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, have in your possession a document wherein you falsely represented yourselves as Thomas Derek when you knew or ought to know, having regard to the circumstances of the case, that the documents contain false pretence.”
The defendant pleaded “guilty” to the charge preferred against him.
The prosecuting counsel, Bilikisu Buhari Bala, informed the court that the convict had entered a plea bargain with the Commission and also prayed that he be convicted accordingly.
Delivering judgment, Justice Taiwo convicted and sentenced the defendant to nine months imprisonment with no option of fine.
