The Ikeja Special Offences Court on Wednesday sentenced a man, Toheeb Yusuf, to one-year imprisonment at the Ikoyi Prisons for money laundering.

Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe sentenced Mr Yusuf to one-year imprisonment following his plea bargain agreement to the sole charge of money laundering.

The judge, however, gave the convict the option of 100 hours of community service, which the correctional centre officials would supervise.

The judge ordered that the convict be returned to prison to serve the remainder of his term any day he refused to show up for community service.

“The convict shall forfeit his iPhone 13 Pro and the Toyota Camry car, and the sum of N1 million manager’s cheque raised in favour of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),” the judge said.

In his review of facts, the EFCC counsel, Ebuka Okongwu, had told the court that the convict was involved in cybercrime.

Mr Okongwu said the convict was arrested during a sting operation on September 19, 2023, with an iPhone 13 Pro Max and gold Toyota Camry in his possession.

Mr Okongwu added that the convict concealed and disguised the genuine nature and ownership of the aggregate sum of $23,423 money received from his illegal transaction.

In his allocutus, the defence counsel, Shina Makinde, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy and give the convict a non-custodial sentence.

Mr Makinde told the court that the convict was a first-time offender who did not waste the court’s time.

“His wife left him with his child over this issue, My lord. We pray that you have mercy on him,” he said.

In his plea for mercy, the convict also prayed the court to have mercy on him, claiming he had turned a new leaf.

(NAN)