Court sentences man to one year in jail over possession of fraudulent documents

An Ikeja special offences court has sentenced one Opeyemi Nojim to a year of imprisonment and 100 hours of community service for possessing fraudulent documents.

NAN reports that Nojim pleaded guilty to an amended one-count charge of possessing fraudulent documents brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Fanen Anum, the EFCC’s counsel, told the court that Nojim was arrested on June 27 at the Reginal Annex Hotel, Iyana Isasi, in the Ojo area of Lagos.

Anum said an iPhone 6 was recovered from him when he was arrested.

The EFCC counsel said documents containing false pretences were extracted from the device after it was analysed.

“The defendant was given an opportunity to respond to the documents printed out from his device,” he said.

“He voluntarily wrote in his statement that he had benefited $5,100 from his victims.”

Anum urged the court to convict and sentence Nojim based on his plea and requested that the recovered device be forfeited to the federal government.

However, Bridget Omotosho, the defence counsel, appealed for leniency, noting that Nojim was a young, first-time offender.

“We pray for a non-custodial sentence, my lord,” Omotosho told the judge.

Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe, the presiding judge, convicted Nojim and ordered him to serve his sentence at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre.

“The defendant is hereby convicted upon his plea of guilty to the charge and the admission of the facts,” the judge ruled.

“He is sentenced to one-year imprisonment for possession of documents containing false pretences contrary to section 320 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

“He will also undergo 100 hours of community service.”