JUSTICE Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja, has convicted and sentenced a Nigerian student in Malaysia, 25 years old Hope Olusegun Aroke, to 24 years imprisonment over N25 million Internet scam, according to information from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Aroke, an undergraduate of Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University, Malaysia, had been arraigned before Justice Okunnu on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence; cheque cloning, wire transfer and forgery.

Spokesman to the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the court found him guilty of the two charges and was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment on each of the two counts. The sentences are to run concurrently.

“Troubles came for Aroke when an anonymous petitioner wrote to the EFCC alleging that the Kogi State-born undergraduate was involved in sundry fraudulent activities on the Internet. The EFCC swung into action and investigated the Internet dealings of Aroke. Investigations showed that he was involved in several romance scam that fetched him a total sum of 4,000 riyadh (Malaysian currency).
Aroke admitted sending the money to Nigeria through one Angela, who later helped him deposit its naira equivalent, N25 million, in a new generation bank”, Uwujaren said, adding that two exotic cars were found in his possession at the time of arrest. They both worth N23 million.

Aside his conviction, Aroke is said to still have two other matters yet undecided before Justice B. Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos.