Lagos Court Jails Two Over Money Laundering

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced two men, Agboola Abdullahi Abiodun and Victor Okonjo, over offences bordering on money laundering and fraudulent impersonation. The convictions were secured by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice F.N. Ogazi. Both men were separately arraigned on charges connected to financial crimes and cybercrime offences.

Abiodun faced a three-count charge, including allegations that he disguised part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity linked to a dating scam by acquiring a Toyota Venza. Okonjo, meanwhile, was charged with two offences, including fraudulently impersonating a United States citizen with the alleged intention of gaining an advantage. The charges were presented before the court, after which both defendants entered guilty pleas.

Following their pleas, EFCC prosecutor F.B. Orilade reviewed the facts of the cases and urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly. Justice Ogazi subsequently found both men guilty of the offences brought against them. Abiodun received four years imprisonment on the first count and one year each on the second and third counts.

Victor Okonjo was sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of a N500,000 fine on one count, while he received four years imprisonment on another count. The court ordered that the prison sentences imposed on both convicts should run concurrently, with the terms calculated from the dates of their arrests.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of several items connected to the cases, including mobile phones, laptops, a Toyota Venza and a 2020 Mercedes-Benz. Justice Ogazi directed that the forfeited assets be sold, with the proceeds returned to the victims where they can be identified. Where the victims cannot be traced, the proceeds are to be paid into the coffers of the Federal Government. The convictions highlight the continued efforts of the EFCC and Nigerian courts to prosecute financial crimes and recover assets linked to unlawful activities.