A Federal High Court in Ibadan, on Thursday, sentenced an HND II student of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Timothy Ambrus, to six months in prison over $270 internet fraud.
Delivering judgment, Justice Uche Agomoh said that she convicted and sentenced Ambrus based on the evidence before her and the plea bargain agreement reached between the defendant and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Mr Agomoh stated that the judgment was in consideration of the provision of Section 270 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015 which provided for anyone who entered a plea bargain agreement to be given reduced sentence.
“The convict should know that engagement or participating in any form of crime in future would attract the maximum life imprisonment as punishment.
“However, to serve as deterrent to others, Ambrus is sentenced to six months in prison, and sentencing starts from the date he was first arrested.
“He is ordered to write and sign an undertaking with EFCC to be of good conduct after completing his jail term.
“All the proceeds of crime confiscated from the convict are forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” Mr Agomoh said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ambrus had prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing him because he was a student.
He added that he was due to begin his final year papers on July 8.
Earlier, Counsel to EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Office, Oluwatoyin Oladunni, had told the court that the convict was arraigned on a count amended charge, bordering on impersonation.
Mr Oladunni added that Ambrus committed the crime on Feb. 5, at Akobo area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
He said that the convict operated a fake email address to defraud unsuspecting foreigners of their hard-earned money.
NAN reports that the proceeds of crime confiscated from the convict include: $200, an Andriod phone, a black HP laptop and many incriminating documents that were printed from his fictitious email address.
Mr Oladunni said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 22B (2B) of Cyber Crime Prohibition and Prevention Act, 2015.
NAN
