A Lagos court has handed down a 46-year prison sentence to two men, Ugwu Chijioke and Ibrahim Adekunle, for impersonating Economic and Financial Crimes Commission operatives and executing a fake court order.
The duo was arrested in May 2021 at New Horizon Estate, Lekki, Lagos, following credible intelligence received by the EFCC.
A statement on the X handle of the EFCC on Sunday states that the defendants pleaded guilty to a five-count charge, including impersonation, attempted property fraud, possession of false documents, and unlawful wear of the EFCC uniform.
Justice O.O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja found them guilty and sentenced them to seven years on counts one to three, one year on count four, and eight months on count five. The sentences will run concurrently.
The EFCC had arraigned the defendants on October 12, 2021, following their arrest, during which fake EFCC identity cards, jackets, and a court order allegedly from Mushin Magistrate Court were recovered from them.
The court’s judgment brings an end to the case, serving as a warning to individuals who engage in fraudulent activities by impersonating law enforcement officials.
Delivering judgment, Justice Abike-Fadipe sentenced the defendants each to seven years on counts one to three each, one year on count four and eight months on count five.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
One of the counts reads: “ That you, Ugwu Pascal Chijioke and Ibrahim Sadiq Adekunle, on or about the 12th day of May, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, attempted to obtain property from one Oriyomi Johnson under the pretext that the “Chief Magistrate Court, Lagos State Judiciary, Mushin, Lagos” issued an Order to the effect that the property located at New Horizon Estate, Lekki- Ikate, Lagos be seized and the said apartment sealed pending the arrival of the said Oriyomi Johnson ,which representation you knew to be false and committed an offence of attempt to obtain property by false pretense contrary to Sections 8(b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section11(3) of the same Act.”
Another count reads, “That you, Ugwu Pascal Chijioke and Ibrahim Sadiq Adekunle, on or about the 12th day of May, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court not being a person holding any office in or authority of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, wore a jacket bearing the official mark of the Commission ,which was calculated to convey the impression that you held such authority and committed an offence of unlawfully wearing the uniform of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission contrary to Section 79(1) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”
