A man named Tobi Paul-Augustine was given an 18-month prison sentence by an Ikeja Special Offences Court for posing as an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) agent.
Justice Rahman Oshodi found him guilty of the charges against him and gave him an 18-month jail sentence.
He maintained that the public’s trust in the EFCC, a crucial law enforcement organisation, had been damaged by the convicted person’s activities.
Justice Oshodi said, “Section 380 of the Criminal Law prescribes a punishment of three years imprisonment for the offence of impersonation.
“Your actions impersonating an EFCC operative, severely undermine public confidence in a crucial law enforcement institution.
“In mitigation, I note that you pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, thereby saving judicial time and you cooperated with law enforcement by providing a confessional statement, and you are a first-time offender.
“Having carefully weighed these factors, I hereby sentence you to 50 per cent of the prescribed sentence: 18 months’ imprisonment.
The judge stated that the day of his remand, August 10, 2024, should mark the start of the sentence.
The court further mandated that the anti-graft organisation EFCC destroy Exhibits E, F, G, G1, and H, which include the face hats, coats, and t-shirts with the Nigerian Army and EFCC insignia.
Earlier in the facts review, Mr. Fanen Anun, the EFCC’s attorney, called one witness, Mr. Umar Abdulkariri, who presented the court with a number of evidence, including the EFCC’s crested jacket and face hat.
In his statement, Abdulkariri informed the court that on August 16, 2024, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps turned over the prisoner to the EFCC.
According to the witness, “a number of items were recovered, including two EFCC jackets, one long-sleeved t-shirt, one EFCC face cap, and one Infinix mobile phone.”
According to the prosecution, the convicted individual committed the crime in August 2024 by posing as an EFCC officer in order to gain financial advantage.
The offence violates Section 380 of the Lagos State 2015 Criminal Law, according to the anti-graft agency.