Fraudulent activities seem to be the order of the day presently in Nigeria, as every Tom Dick and Harry seem to want to get rich in the fastest way possible irrespective of the means by which such feat is achieved or money is made.
Naturally, everyone would expect that the reaction from any criminal should be that of great remorse, guilt or feeling of embarrassment especially when being arraigned or posing for crime profiling. This however, was not the case for Michael Lawal who was recently convicted and bagged a three months’ jail sentence for internet crimes.
According to the story as reported by news sources, an Uber driver recently got himself 3 months jail sentence over internet fraud. Meanwhile, a judge by name Justice M. A. Odegbola of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State on Monday, March 8, 2021, convicted and sentenced one Michael Tosin Lawal, an Uber driver, to three-months in prison.
However, what is most marvelling for viewers and the general public is the shocking but funny photo of the cab driver, who, when presented by the popularly recognized criminal investigative agency in Nigeria, The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lawal was seen in a relaxed and joyful mood as the commission exhibited him before the general public, and while he was subsequently being taken away to serve his three months jail sentence for his crime.
As earlier reported, Lawal seemed less bothered when being arrested and convicted by the Oyo state high court despite the enormity of his crime. This behaviour of Lawal made many to wonder what was really going on and why the culprit acted in different and unique way devoid of any form of remorse after a being accused of collecting funds illegally through dubious and pretentious means,
Speaking on the episode the commission confirmed that Lawal was not in denial about any of the charges levied against him as he pleaded guilty while being arraigned.
The copy of the charge read: “That you, Michael Tosin Lawal ‘M’ sometimes in the year 2020, in Ibadan Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained Gift Cards from one Trevor, a white male by falsely representing to him that you are a white female by the name Cyndy Tyler from the United States of America, which pretence you knew to be false.”
The presiding judge whose name was given as M. A. Odegbola, decreed that Mr Lawal should make a restitution of the the sum of $50 to his victim via the EFCC and relinquish all items recouped from him to the FG.
Gift Joseph Okpakorese
Staff Writer
