Man sentenced to one-year community service for possessing fraudulent documents

Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has sentenced Nwobodo Ernest Chibuike, an 18-year-old man, to one year of community service for possessing fraudulent documents.

The sentencing followed his conviction on a single count brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC had accused Chibuike of possessing documents printed from his messaging account that he knew or ought to have known were false.

The prosecution counsel, Mr U.S. Kyari, informed the court that the defendant was apprehended during a sting operation by the commission in Ajegunle, Lagos, in May 2024. The arrest involved the seizure of an iPhone 6 used in the fraudulent activities.

Chibuike pleaded guilty to the charge and, in a confessional statement, admitted to engaging in a romance scam using a fake Instagram profile under the username “Mia Sophie.”

The prosecution urged the court to pass a sentence aligned with his guilty plea.

Delivering the judgment yesterday, Justice Oshodi sentenced Chibuike to one year of community service for possession of fraudulent documents in violation of Section 320 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Chapter C17, Volume 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The judge noted: “The maximum sentence for your offence is two years imprisonment. Considering the mitigating factors—particularly your restitution efforts, status as a first offender, and your young age—I am applying a 50 per cent reduction to the maximum sentence, which results in one year.”

The judge further ruled: “You are hereby sentenced to one year of community service under the supervision of the Lagos State Community Service Unit, which will provide this court with monthly reports on your activities. Should you fail to complete your community service or if there are any adverse reports of non-compliance, you will serve a one-year prison term at the Medium Security Custodial Centre.”

Justice Oshodi added that the defendant’s iPhone 6 (Exhibit C) and the value of the manager’s cheques (Exhibit D) would be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria. He concluded, “This sentence holds you accountable for your actions while giving you an opportunity to make amends to the community.

I hope this experience will prompt you to reflect on your actions, understand the harm caused, and strive to become a responsible member of socie