Justice Ismail Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, on Tuesday, 18, 2025, convicted and sentenced Osaibovo Charles to a total of 50 years in prison for multiple offences, including conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing, possession of fraudulent documents, and money laundering.
Charles was prosecuted by the EFCC for defrauding a foreign victim, Miss Shenika Garati, of £15,000 after impersonating popular Nollywood actor Fredrick Leonard.
He deceived the victim by claiming the money was required for a film production in Nigeria.
In one of the charges, Charles and his late accomplice were accused of conspiring in June 2022 to defraud Garati of £38,000.
Hamza Zakaria and Nurudeen Mohammed Ibrahim
Another charge stated that he laundered the £15,000 obtained from her by concealing its illegal origin between February and August 2022.
Charles pleaded not guilty, prompting a full trial. The prosecution, led by T.J. Banjo, presented two witnesses and several documents, while the defence called one witness.
Justice Ijelu ruled that the EFCC had successfully established its case, saying, “The court is satisfied that the prosecution has proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendant is found guilty as charged.”
He then imposed the following sentences: 14 years for conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, 14 years for obtaining money by false pretence, 5 years for stealing, 14 years for possession of fraudulent documents, and 3 years for money laundering.
All terms are to run concurrently. Charles was, however, acquitted on the charge of retention of proceeds of crime.
The court further ordered him to refund £15,000 to the victim.
Also, the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday sentenced two men, Hamza Zakaria and Nurudeen Mohammed Ibrahim, to a combined jail term of two years and two months for their involvement in an ₦8.56 billion cyber fraud targeting a new-generation bank.
Justice Rahman Oshodi handed down the verdict after the duo pleaded guilty to amended charges of conspiracy and unauthorized access to a computer system.
Zakaria and Ibrahim were first arraigned on May 2, 2025, alongside others still at large, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, and hacking into the computer servers of Wema Bank Plc.
Prosecutors said the group conspired in January 2025 to infiltrate the bank’s systems, transferring the sum of ₦24.89 million into an account belonging to Exact Group Limited, money traced to the broader ₦8,568,090,500 stolen from several accounts.
Though they initially pleaded not guilty, both men changed their plea on November 14, 2025, following the filing of amended charges.
During the review of facts, EFCC operative Airende Monday testified and tendered several documents admitted as exhibits.
In his ruling, Justice Oshodi said: “I find the defendants guilty in the two-count amended information, and I convict them accordingly.”
He sentenced them to eight months’ imprisonment on count one and one year and six months on count two.
The terms are to run concurrently, with an option of ₦50,000 fine.
