Lagos Court Sentences Internet Fraudster to 42 Years Over €80,000 Scam
An Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos has sentenced a man, Ndidi Joshua Bobby, to 42 years' imprisonment for internet fraud involving false identity claims and an €80,000 scam. Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe delivered the judgment on Wednesday after finding the defendant guilty of multiple fraud-related offences. Bobby was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, on charges linked to stealing and possession of fraudulent documents. According to the EFCC, the convict fraudulently presented himself as “Prince Louis” to a foreign victim identified as Sabine Sigrid Osterlehner. The agency told the court that through the false identity, Bobby dishonestly obtained and converted €80,000 belonging to the victim for his personal use. He was first arraigned in December 2021 on a two-count charge, but the case was later expanded to six counts in an amended charge filed in July 2025 under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act. Bobby pleaded not guilty, leading to a full trial that began in February 2022. During the proceedings, the prosecution presented two witnesses and submitted several documents as evidence. After the prosecution closed its case, the defendant filed a no-case submission, but the court dismissed the request and ordered him to enter his defence. Following the final hearing, Justice Abike-Fadipe ruled that the prosecution had successfully proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. She sentenced Bobby to seven years' imprisonment on each of the six counts. Although the combined sentence totals 42 years, the court ordered that all terms run concurrently, meaning they will be served at the same time. The court also directed that all items recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government, describing them as tools used in committing the crimes. The judgment adds to ongoing efforts by anti-corruption agencies to clamp down on cybercrime and online fraud in Nigeria.
Arun
Apr 23, 2026
