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For allegedly defrauding an American lady, Kathy Lunsford through the internet under the pretext of marriage, a University of Lagos student, Michael Opaleye has been sent to jail by a Lagos State High Court
Opaleye was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment yesterday by Justice Aishat Opesanwo for defrauding Miss Kathy Lunsford, of 9,200 US dollars under the pretext of getting married to her.
The convict who is studying computer science at UNILAG had pleaded guilty to the charge of obtaining by false pretence and forgery.
He had entered into a plea bargain deal with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and offered to pay back the money to his victim.
The judge in her judgment, said the sentence would commence on 15 March when he was first arraigned before the court.
She also ordered Opaleye after his release from prison,to pay N100,000 monthly to the victim through the EFCC until he refunded the total amount involved in the scam.
The convict is also to forfeit the electronic appliances and other items purchased with the proceeds of the crime, which were recovered from his house during the investigation, to the EFCC.
EFCC counsel, Mr Anselem Ozioko said Opaleye had between 2008 and 2011, swindled Lunsford by making a phoney marriage proposal to her through e-mail.
He said Lunsford had sent Opaleye the said amount as part of his travelling expenses from the United Kingdom to the United States of America to facilitate their marriage.
Ozioko said the defendant forged a Nigeria drivers Licence No. WWD24174AAJ, which he claimed was issued by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
He said Opaleye forged a bank draft which he claimed was issued by the Bank of Ireland, Dublin.
The offences according to him had contravened Sections 419 and 467 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2003.
Its good he was sentenced for his crime, but if i may ask, how did the court expect a student to generate N100,000 monthly to clear his loot if they are not invariably encouraging him to commit more crime. Also can a prisoner generate as much as N100,000 monthly. Sounds ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteis that an igbo man?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous 10:21am, u must be very stupid to hv made that comment. Rather than kp quiet when u know u hv nothing to say, u open ur mouth to say rubbish abt d Ibo tribe. U r highly irresponsible to hv left the issue on ground to attack a tribe. Of what use is ur response and d answer u wish to get from it to the situation on ground? Yet we say one Nigeria. Mtcewwww
ReplyDeleteNice response by chyk
ReplyDeleteIf I may contribute to the issue on ground, I will rather say why should court grant his bail? Instead, they suppose to sentence him for life imprisonment.
ReplyDelete18 months for a young student? What about all these govt looters that get sentenced to a few weeks in a 5 star hospital? This is where the EFCC and the courts can show their power, on petty love peddling students. What happened to suspendend sentences etc. People are looting millions of dollars and liver won't let the EFCC arrect them. The lesson for that young man now is that he should have been or train to be a looter of public aasets and be untouchable, with everybody loving him. Nigeria sef!
ReplyDeleteI support ÊŠ chyk. He I̶̲̥̅̊s̶̲̥̅̊ very stupid
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, office holders steal lots and lots of money? Why, did E.f.f.c not hold these people on account of there loats? For a young man and a student to be sent to prison for 18 months,how does this help matters? Delta state govern, who was cut and brought before the court in Nigeria was not found guilty not until the British government held him accountable for criminal acts commited by him and a nigeria court could set him free without the e.f.f.c laying hands on him? We have mega cases which the e.f.f.c has to look into? Petroleum or oil subsidy scam, wat are they doing concerning that? Nigeria we know our problem only to look the right way is trouble for us cos the so call untouchable ones and the imminunty granted by our government to the so call leaders has turn this upside down? For a student to pay 100k monthly is not easy oh, cos he doesn't work and the parents were will they get such if they are not well to do people? So the court should decide on a better judgement than 100k? If he is to do community service and pay in return, fine. At least to keep him off the street and from yahoo yahoo... Cornelius.
ReplyDeleteIt starts gradually, so when he get to the stage of billion dollars he will do the same. Crime is crime
ReplyDelete