A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Wednesday sentenced a 19-year old secondary school leaver, Tobechukwu Igbokwe, to 37 years imprisonment for defrauding an American of $40 million.
Master Igbokwe was arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 12-count charge bordering on forgery, conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretenses.
The presiding judge, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, found in his ruling, found him guilty and sentenced him to 7 years on counts 1-8; 8 years on count 9; 7 years on count 10, 8 years on count 11 and 7 years on count 12, bringing the cumulative sentence to 37 years.
In the statement of judgment by the head of Media and Publicity at EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, Justice Akapo indicated that Igbokwe’s cumulative sentence is to run concurrently with effect from October 28, 2013.
The court also ordered the convict to return the $40 million as a restitution to the victim and forfeit a Toyota Corolla car, which is a proceed of the crime, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Igbokwe was arraigned on October 28, 2013 when he pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charges levelled against him. He later changed his plea and was convicted by Justice Akapo accordingly.
Igbokwe (Alias David Prince) and his accomplice, Ifeanyi Obi duped the American, M. Silva, the sum of $40 million in an inheritance scam.
The victim was made to believe that Igbokwe and his accomplice had a huge inheritance which they wanted to move to a foreign account for safe-keeping.
The victim wired $40m in several instalments through Western Union to Igbokwe to “process” the transfer.
Igbokwe also confessed that he had duped other foreigners, including T. Bedwell $6,000 and R. Hunt $15,000.
