An internal fraudster, popularly called Yahoo Boy, Nkanu Samuel Anari, was today convicted and sentenced to 250 hours community service, by a Lagos Federal High School, for impersonation.

The convicted yahoo boy, who was accused of impersonating one Stephen Townsend, was given the none custodian sentence by Justice Abimbola Awogboro, after he pleaded guilty to a count-charge of the offence, leveled against by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The convicted 25 year-old Yahoo Boy, according to the prosecutor, to Zeenat Atiku, was arrested on August 20, 2023.

The prosecutor told the court that in the course of his arrest, it was discovered that he had impersonated one Stephen Townsend, the name he used in defrauding his victims of the sum of $10,000 USD.

The prosecutor further told the court that during investigation, the convict admitted benefited the said sum.

The convict, upon his arraignment on the one count charge of impersonation, he admitted committing the crime and pleaded guilty to the charge.

Upon his guilty plea, the prosecutor through a witness, reviewed the facts of the charge, as well, tendered the convict’s confessional statements, a laptop, an iPhone, bundle of documents retrieved from the laptop and a United Bank of Africa (UBA) manager’s Cheque with monetary value of N200, 000, 00.

The prosecutor after reviewing the facts of the charge and tendered the exhibits, which were admitted by the court, urged the court to convict and him in accordance with the section of the EFCC Act, he was charge with.

The convicted yahoo boy, in his plea for mercy, pleaded with the court to forgive him as he had learned his lesson while in custody.

He also begged for forgiveness from God and his parents.

His lawyer, C. M. Uzodinma, in her allucutor, told the court she had counselled him while in custody and he had also promised not to engage in such Act.

Uzodinma told the court that the convict has became remorseful and pleaded that he be given second chance. And urged the court not to award maximum sentence.

Justice Awogboro after listening to the lawyers’ submissions and after taking into consideration some mitigation factors, which she said were in the favour of the convict, sentenced him to 250 hours community service.

The judge also ordered that laptop, an iPhone, and a United Bank of Africa (UBA) manager’s Cheque with monetary value of N200, 000, 00, tendered as exhibits be forfeited to the federal government of Nigeria.

Here is the charge against the convict: “That you NKANU SAMUEL ANARI on or about the 20th of August, 2023 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court fraudulently impersonated one Stephen Townsend by holding yourself out as such on google chat, 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.”