Court Sentences ‘EFCC Official’ To Three Years Imprisonment

One Abdulazeez Isah in Kaduna State has been sentenced to prison following his arrest for parading himself as an official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In a statement on Thursday, the Kaduna Zonal Command of the anti-graft agency said it has successfully obtained a conviction and imposed a three-year prison sentence on the suspect for falsely presenting himself as an employee of the EFCC.

In a separate case, Abraham Adama and Uzoma Isaac Iwu were also found guilty of fraud and subsequently sentenced to imprisonment by Justices Darius Khobo and A. Isiaka of the Kaduna State High Court, located in Kaduna.

Justice Isiaka sentenced Isah to jail after he pleaded guilty to a single charge of impersonation, while Justice Khobo handed Adama a two-year prison term for deceiving others by impersonating the renowned American actor Sylvester Stallone on social media.

Additionally, Iwu received a three-year sentence for engaging in cybercrimes.

The charge against Isa read: “That you, Abdulazeez Isah, sometime in November 2023 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence of impersonation to wit: falsely presenting yourself as a staff of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the general public, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.”

The charge against Adama read: “That you, Abraham Adama (a.k.a Sylvester Stallone) (m), sometime in 2023 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence to wit: cheating by impersonation when you falsely presented yourself as Sylvester Stallone (an American actor) on several online social media applications to several unsuspecting victims and in that assumed character cheated one Amelia James of the total sum of $200.00 (Two Hundred USD) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law of 2017 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”

The charge against Iwu read: “That you ISAAC UZOMA IWU (a.k.a [email protected]) on or about the 18th of January, 2024 at NITEL Quarters of Sabo Axis, Kaduna State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court falsely presented yourself as Man Paul Markus and in that assumed character defrauded members of the public by luring them into investing into Crypto Currency via your email address, [email protected] and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017”.

The three defendants admitted their guilt when the charges were presented to them. Based on their pleas, the EFCC Counsels, M.U Gadaka and K.S Ogunlade requested the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. Justice Isiaka sentenced Isah to three years in prison or a fine of N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). Similarly, Justice Khobo sentenced Adama to a two-year prison term with a fine option of N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), and Iwu received a three-year imprisonment or a fine of N150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).

Isah, while admitting to falsely presenting himself as an EFCC staff member to unsuspecting individuals, also confessed to financing the production of counterfeit T-shirts, identity cards, and caps of the Commission, which were found in his possession upon arrest.

Adama impersonated Sylvester Stallone, an American actor, while Iwu engaged in internet crimes, leading to his imprisonment.