Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State, on Tuesday, sentenced one Joshua David and Abdulmalik Olayiwola, to one-year in jail each for internet fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a statement on Tuesday, said its Lagos Zonal Directorate I, arraigned both defendants on one-count separate charges bordering on fraudulent impersonation.

The charge against David revealed that, “Sometime in August, 2025, at Lagos, within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one “Clara Jane” by holding yourself out as such to one John Brill, an unsuspecting victim, via email address monexmindedloas767@gmail.com, with intent to gain advantage for yourself; and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.”

The charge against Olayiwola revealed that, “Sometime in August 2025, at Lagos, within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one kylie Dowdy by holding yourself out as such on Facebook App, with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015”. 

According to the anti-graft agency, both defendants pleaded “guilty” to the charge.

The prosecution counsel, Fadeke Giwa and Ukoha Nwandu, reviewed the facts of the cases, and thereafter, tendered the defendants’ statements and the mobile devices recovered from them, while also urging the court to convict them as charged. 

Justice Owoeye consequently, sentenced each of them to one year imprisonment but gave Mr David, a N300,000 fine option, while also handing a N600,000 fine option to Mr Olayiwola.

The judge also forfeited their iPhone 16 and a bank draft valued at N250,000 to Federal Government.