Fake senator jailed two years for € 47,000 fraud

Justice Aliyu Shafa of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Gwagwalada, on Wednesday sentenced a fake senator, Tom Makwe to two years imprisonment for swindling a Spanish of €47, 082.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the convict on a two-count charge of intent to defraud over the internet.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.

The judge, however, gave the convict an option of a N5 million fine.

Shafa ordered that the N30 million, and $1,300 recovered from the convict be forfeited to the victim, Maria Del Rosario san Jose Garces through the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria and evidence of forfeiture be filed through the court’s registrar within two weeks.

He said the items recovered from the convict which include one black Camry 2017 model car, Samsung S 23, Apple iPhone 13 cellphone, and HP EliteBook be forfeited to the Federal Government and the proceeds of sale be remitted to the victim through the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria.

Earlier, the convict in his plea for mercy told the court that he was sincerely sorry for his misconduct and bad character.

READ ALSO: EFCC arraigns woman for alleged N39.8m fraud

He said: “I am a changed person and plead with the court to tamper justice with mercy. I will never have anything to do with internet fraud again.”

The defence counsel, Adaji Abel, in support of the allocutus by the convict pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy.

Abel said that the convict was a first-time offender, co-operated with the EFCC investigation, made restitution, and provided useful information to the investigator to arrest other fraudsters.

The prosecution counsel, Deborah Adamu-Eteh told the court that the convict between December 12, 2021, and November 12, 2022, with intent to defraud over the internet pretended to be Fahad Tonny Makwe, Bryan, and Senator Tompolo.

Adamu-Eteh said that the convict claimed to be a white man Diplomatic Solicitor with phone number +34613208672.

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