Court jails man for internet fraud in Lagos – Blueprint Newspapers Limited
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday, October 3, 2025, convicted Isiaka Opeyemi David on a single count related to online impersonation and subsequently imposed a punishment.
According to court documents, the defendant was charged with impersonation after allegedly adopting the alias Maria Lopez, a supposed white woman from the United States, and presenting himself as her to deceive unsuspecting people via a fraudulent profile on a Google-based mobile application.
David pleaded guilty to the charge when brought before the court. Prosecutors, led by counsel B. M. Isah, presented the evidence, including the defendant’s statements and the electronic devices connected to the alleged acts, and urged the judge to convict as charged.
Justice Yellim Bogoro delivered the verdict, finding David culpable on the one-count indictment. The court sentenced him to one year in prison, with an option to pay a fine of 500,000 naira and to perform one month of community service in lieu of a portion of the custodial term.
The judgment also mandated the forfeiture of the defendant’s iPhone 11 and HP laptop to the federal government, devices tied to the unlawful activity as established by the evidence presented in court.
The case underscores the ongoing enforcement of cybercrime statutes and the seriousness with which impersonation and related online fraud are treated in the Nigerian justice system.
