Lagos Court Sentences Hope Aroke, Nigerian Schooling In Malaysia To 24 Years Imprisonment, For Internet Scam

 An undergraduate student of the Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University, Malaysia, Hope Aroke, was on Monday sentenced to 24 years imprisonment by a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja for his involvement in an internet scam that fetched him 4,000 riaait about N25 million.

Mr. Aroke, 25, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Lateefa Okunnu on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, cheque cloning, wire transfer and forgery.

The court found him guilty of the two charges and sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment on each of the two counts, which are to run concurrently.

The Kogi-born undergraduate’s journey to life behind bars began when an anonymous petitioner wrote to the EFCC alleging that Aroke was involved in online fraudulent activities.

Following the anonymous tip-off, the anti-graft commission launched an investigation into the internet dealings of the convict and was able to establish that he was involved in several romance scam that fetched him 4,000 riaait.

Mr. Aroke admitted sending the money to Nigeria through a person identified as Angela, who later helped him deposit its naira equivalent, N25 million in a bank.

Two exotic cars valued at N23,000,000 were recovered from him.

Meanwhile, Mr. Aroke has two other matters yet undecided before Justice B. Idris of the Federal High Court Lagos.