By Ola Ajayi

An Ibadan Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ibadan, yesterday, sentenced a 20-year-old man, Abiodun David, to six years imprisonment with hard labour for impersonation.

File: Customs

David, who was accused of parading himself as an officer in charge of the auction in the Nigerian Customs service, was charged with nine counts of obtaining money under false pretence, fraudulent conspiracy, stealing, forgery and impersonation.

The accused person had earlier pleaded not guilty to the nine-count charge.

The prosecutor, Sunday Ogunremi, told the court that the accused and others now at large on September 13, 2018, around Akingbade area of Ibadan, did conspire with others to impersonate and obtain money under false pretence.

Ogunremi said David and others now at large on the same date, time and place fraudulently obtained the N275,000 from one Mrs Olofiniade Olusayo with a pretext to supply her fairly used clothes.”

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He said that the accused claimed to be in charge of the auction in the Nigeria Customs Service knowing same to be false.

The prosecutor added that the accused and others still at large sometime in May 2018 around Egbeda area in Ibadan, fraudulently obtained N805,000 from one Babalola Tunde with a pretext to supply him a Toyota Highlander and converted the money to his personal use.

The prosecutor said the offence was contrary to and punishable under section 516,419,108(2), 467,390(9), 419, of the Criminal Code vol.II laws of Oyo State Nigeria.

David, however, prayed the court to be merciful to him claiming that it was lack of a job that pushed him into committing the offence.

He vowed never to commit such an offence again if the court should pardon him and set him free.

In his ruling the magistrate, Mr Taiwo Oladiran, expressed worries about the frequency of internet fraud, saying this had had a negative effect on the image of the country.

Oladiran, thereafter, sentenced the accused to six years imprisonment with hard labour.