First-class university graduate jailed for N1.92m internet fraud

A graduate of
Lead City University, Ibadan, who passed out with
1st-class honors has been sentenced to one-year
imprisonment after pleading guilty to a two-count
charge of conspiracy and obtaining money under
false pretences.
Olakunle
Akanni was sentenced yesterday Nov. 4th at the
Ikeja High Court in Lagos for defrauding a 77 year-
old American woman, Diana Huizenga, of over
12,000 dollars through an internet love scam.
One of his accomplices, Adesina Akinsola, 30, was
also given a similar sentence by the judge but
adjourned the sentencing of their co-accused, 30-
year-old Dele Oshuntogun, till Nov. 17.
There are reports that the convicts entered a plea
bargain with the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC). Lawal-Akapo consequently
sentenced them to one year imprisonment on each
of the counts.
He said the sentences were to run concurrently
beginning from the day the judgment was
delivered.
"The first defendant, Olakunle Akanni, is to pay the
sum of N2 million which is the equivalent of $12,
820 to the victim (Huizenga), as restitution. Also,
the third defendant, Akinsola, is to pay the sum of
N500, 000 to the victim as restitution," the judge
ordered.
He also ordered them to write an undertaken to be
submitted to the EFCC that they would be of good
behaviour upon their release from prison custody.
Mrs Zainab Ettuh , the EFCC counsel, narrating the
facts of the case, told the court that the convicts
committed the offences between December 2010
and February 2012 in Lagos.
She said Olakunle Akanni falsely presented himself
to Huizenga as one Robert Lewis, a white
American living in Nigeria, who was in love with
her.
According to her, "the convicts used the "love
scam" to fleece the woman and even invited her to
come to Nigeria with $90,000 before they were
apprehended".
Mrs Zainab Ettuh said their offences contravened
Section 419 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos
State.

Posted By David Aniemeka