The Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on August 5, 2021 secured the conviction and sentencing of one Israel Anyawu Ugochukwu before Justice Sherifat Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos
He was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents, an offence contrary to Section 318 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
One of the counts reads: “Israel Anyanwu Ugochukwu, on or about the 25th January, 2021 in Lagos within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, had in your possession fraudulent document titled “hangouts” where you presented yourself as Danielle Deluanay, which representations you knew or ought to have known is false.”
He pleaded “guilty” to the charge.
The prosecution counsel, S.O. Daji, thereafter, reviewed the facts of the case and also tendered in evidence the defendant’s confessional statement to the EFCC as well as the incriminating documents recovered from him.
Daji, therefore, urged the Court to convict and sentence him accordingly, while also praying that items recovered from him be forfeited to the Federal Government.
In his allocutus, the defence counsel, Stephen Omoyola, pleaded with the Court to temper justice with mercy.
Delivering judgment, the Judge found him guilty as charged and sentenced him to six months in prison.
The trial judge also ordered the forfeiture to the Federal Government items recovered from him, including an iPhone XS and N273,443.73.
