Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiye of Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu, on Tuesday reserved judgment until Thursday in a cyber-crime case involving an 18-year-old man, Magnus Onuoha.
Onuoha who is standing trial on a count charge of cyber-crime charge levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), admitted committing the offence.
The EFCC prosecutor, Mr Aliyu Usman, told the court that the defendant presented himself as Duane Shawn of Norway, but resident in Long Beach California.
The offence, he said, is contrary and punishable under Section 95 of the Penal Code.
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He said the defendant claimed to work as a hydro graphic surveyor with some e-mail addresses to dupe people online.
Usman said the defendant was arrested after intelligence report was made to the Commission, that a group of persons occupying a certain building in Mararaba were engaged in cyber-crime activities.
According to Aliyu Rafindadi, a detective attached to the Commission, who testified in court, the defendant’s Instagram’s account was opened in respect of payments.
“Some documents were printed out where the defendant had appended his signatures.
The witness also said that a certificate of notification was also printed out, among other items that were discovered,’’ he said,
The prosecutor said that the defendant was arrested on January 10 while the case was filed in court on January 18.
The defence counsel, Mr Adaji Abel, had pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy, adding that “the defendant was a first time offender.
“The defendant did not waste the time of the court as well as the prosecution before pleading guilty on arraignment.
“The defendant was remorseful for his actions as he was influenced by peer pressure,’’ he said. (NAN)
