Internet scam: Four plead guilty to impersonating foreigners

A Federal High Court in Lagos Thursday remanded five men in Ikoyi Correctional Services Centre for alleged fraudulent impersonation of foreigners on Facebook, Google and Instagram.

Vacation judge Justice Abimbola Awogboro made the order following the men’s arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its counsel Mr Suleiman Suleiman.
According to the EFCC, they were suspected of committing the alleged offence within the court’s jurisdiction in furtherance of internet scams.
The defendants are Abiola Basit (a.k.a. Jose Joaquin Tapia Espires); Idris Abayomi Fadipe (a.k.a Brenda Moseley; Adeyemi Temitope Samuel (a.k.a. Loretta Lopez); Lateef Olayinka Abiodun (a.k.a. Cheary Jacqelind Nichole) and Akpan Emmanuel Taiwo (a.k.a Tessa Fowler).

Four of them – Fadipe, Samuel, Abiodun and Taiwo pleaded “guilty” to a separate one-count charge marked FHC/L/360c/2021; FHC/L/359c/2021; FHC/L/361c/2021; and FHC/L/356c/2021.
Justice Awogboro adjourned till December 30 for review of the facts of the case.
But Basit pleaded “not guilty” to a charge marked FHC/L/358c/2021.

The judge adjourned his case till December 29 to hear his bail application.
Each defendant’s charge reads:

“That you, ABIOLA BASIT (a.k.a Jose Joaquin Tapia Espires) on or about 22nd October, 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently impersonated one Jose Joaquin Tapia Espires by holding yourself out as such on your facebook profile with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.
“That you, IDRIS ABAYOMI FADIPE (a.k.a Brenda Mosley) on or abou! 28th November, 2021 in Lagos fraudulently impersonated one Brenda Mosley by holding yourself out as such on your Facebook profile with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22[2)(b} of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition. Prevention etc} Act, 2015.

“That you, ADEYEMI TEMITOPE SAMUEL ( a.k.a Loretta Lopez) on or about 28th of November, 2021 in Lagos fraudulently impersonated one Loretta Lopez by holding yourself out as such on your Google Account with internet to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrime(Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.
“That you, LATEEF OLAYINKA ABIODUN ( a.k.a CHEARY JACQUELIND NICHOLE) on or about 28th of November, 2021 in Lagos fraudulently impersonated one Loretta Lopez by holding yourself out as such on your Google Account with internet to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrime(Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.
“That you. AKPAN EMMANUEL TAIWO (a.k.a Tessa Fowler) on or about 22th October, 2021 in Lagos fraudulently impersonated one Tessa Fowler by holding yourself out as such on your instagram profile with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.