Fake senator who duped foreigner of €47,082 jailed two years
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gwagwalada has sentenced Tom Makwe, a man posing as a senator, to two years imprisonment for defrauding a Spanish citizen of €47,082.
The convict, arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on two counts of internet fraud, pleaded guilty and requested leniency from the court.
Justice Aliyu Shafa delivered the judgment, granting the convict an option of a ₦5 million fine. The judge also ordered that the ₦30 million and $1,300 recovered from Makwe be returned to the victim, Maria Del Rosario San Jose Garces, through the Spanish embassy in Nigeria, with proof of the forfeiture to be filed within two weeks.
In addition, items recovered from the convict, including a black 2017 Camry car, a Samsung S23, an Apple iPhone 13, and an HP EliteBook, are to be forfeited to the government, with proceeds from their sale directed to the victim through the Spanish embassy.
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Makwe, expressing remorse, stated he had reformed and pleaded for mercy, vowing to avoid internet fraud in the future. His defense counsel, Adaji Abel, emphasized that Makwe was a first-time offender who cooperated with the EFCC and provided information leading to the arrest of other fraudsters.
Prosecution counsel Deborah Adamu-Eteh outlined that the convict, under various aliases including Fahad Tonny Makwe, Bryan, and Senator Tompolo, used a phone number and Bitcoin wallet to defraud Garces. The offence violated Section 321 of the Penal Code and was punishable under Section 324 of the same Act.
The EFCC had already recovered and presented the money and items from Makwe, and the court ordered their forfeiture to the government for the benefit of the victim.
(NAN)
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