Muhammed was dragged before the court by the Ilorin zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a one-count charge of impersonation.
Adenike Ayoku, an operative of the EFCC told the court that Muhammed who was arrested in his residence in Abeokuta in Ogun State is an internet fraudster who pretended to be female and used female nude photographs sourced online to fraudulently obtain money from unsuspecting internet users as evidenced in his Facebook and WhatsApp accounts.
The charge against Muhammed read
“That you, Usman Muhammed (a.k.a Adepeju Omolara and Guns Omolara Valle), sometime in February, 2020 or thereabout at Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of his honourable court, attempted to commit an offence of cheating by impersonation by pretending and representing yourself to be a woman called Omolara Adepeju and Guns Omolara Valle, to unsuspected men on social media as it contained in both your Facebook and WhatsApp conversations on your phone and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 95 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.”
Muhammed pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
While delivering his judgement, the presiding judge said the prosecution team proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and that the prosecution’s evidence was neither challenged nor contradicted by the defendant.
He ordered the convict to pay a fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira only ) within 24 hours, or be remanded in prison for six months. The judge also ordered that Muhammed’s two phones which were used to perpetuate the crime should be forfeited to the Federal Government.
