2 Fake EFCC Operatives Sentenced To 46 Years Imprisonment—-Justice O.O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja has sentenced Ugwu Pascal Chijioke and Ibrahim Adekunle to a combined 46 years in prison for impersonating operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) while executing a fake court order.
A statement issued by anti-graft commission at the weekend said Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC re-arraigned the duo on an amended five-count charge that included impersonation, attempting to obtain property, possession of documents containing false pretenses, and unlawfully wearing EFCC uniforms.
One count stated: “On or about May 12, 2021, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by false pretense and with intent to defraud, you attempted to obtain property from one Oriyomi Johnson, falsely claiming that the ‘Chief Magistrate Court, Lagos State Judiciary, Mushin, Lagos’ issued an order to seize and seal the property at New Horizon Estate, Lekki-Ikate, Lagos, pending Johnson’s arrival. This representation was known to be false and is an offense contrary to Section 8(b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, punishable under Section 11(3) of the same Act.”
Another count charged them with unlawfully wearing EFCC jackets, contrary to Section 79(1)(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Upon reading the charges, Chijioke and Adekunle pleaded guilty. Prosecuting counsel Abdulhamid Lamido Tukur presented the case facts, urging the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
Justice Abike-Fadipe found them guilty on all counts. Chijioke and Adekunle, given a chance to address the court, pleaded for mercy.
In her judgment, Justice Abike-Fadipe sentenced each defendant to seven years for counts one to three, one year for count four, and eight months for count five. The sentences will run concurrently.
The convicts were arrested in May 2021 during an illegal operation at New Horizon Estate, Lekki, Lagos, following credible intelligence. Items recovered included fake EFCC ID cards, jackets, and a counterfeit court order.
Initially arraigned on October 12, 2021, they had pleaded not guilty to the amended charges.
