Nigeria’s anti-graft agency on Tuesday arraigned a University of Ilorin student, Itanola Abdulsamad, for alleged internet fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a statement said the 21-year-old student will, however, be facing a fresh trial at the Kwara State High Court after he switched from “guilty” to “not guilty” plea on Tuesday.
EFCC alleged that Abdulsamad and two others “fraudulently induced several unsuspecting foreigners vide the internet to deliver to you digital currency from which you benefited $950 (Nine Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars) and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the same Penal Code.”
EFCC said the suspect during the ruling of the case last Friday pleaded guilty to the 10-count charges of internet fraud read against him. He later made a “dramatic switch to “not guilty,” during his re-arraignment on amended four-count charge.
“My Lord, my client has informed me that he wants to change his plea from ‘guilty’ to ‘not guilty’. I humbly urge your lordship to allow the charge be read to the defendant for him to change his plea,” Abdulsamad’s counsel, Adewale Olatunde, informed the court during rulling.
Justice Oyinloye granted the prayer of the defence counsel, which saw the defendant switch to a “not guilty” plea to the amended four-count charges by the EFCC.
The anti-graft agency said Abdulsamad’s switch prompted “the judge to adjourn the matter, preparatory to his fresh trial” on October 26.
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