The EFCC is reporting that a Malaysia-based Yahoo Boy has been sentenced to 24 years in jail for a N25 Million internet scam.Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja has convicted and sentenced an undergraduate of Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University, Malaysia: Hope Olusegun Aroke to twenty-four years imprisonment for his involvement in an internet scam that fetched him Four Thousand riaait (N25,000,000).
Aroke, 25, was arraigned before Justice Okunnu on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence; cheque cloning, wire transfer and forgery. The court found him guilty of the two charges and was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment on each of the two counts.
Troubles came for Aroke when an anonymous petitioner wrote to the EFCC alleging that the Kogi state-born undergraduate was involved in sundry fraudulent activities on the internet. The EFCC swung into action and investigated the internet dealings of Aroke.
Investigations showed that he was involved in several romance scam that fetched him a total sum of 4,000 riaait (Malaysian currency). Aroke admitted sending the money to Nigeria through one Angela, who later helped him deposit its naira equivalent, N25,000,00 (Twenty-five million Naira only), in a new generation bank.
Upon his arrest, two exotic cars valued at N23,000,000 (Twenty-three million naira) were recovered from him.
Justice Okunnu ruled that the sentence should run concurrently. Meanwhile, Aroke has two other matters yet undecided before Justice B. Idris of the Federal High Court Lagos.
While it is good that justice has been served and we are by no means encouraging scams, the disparity between sentences for financial crimes by normal Nigerians versus politicians is very jarring.
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