A 37-year-old man has been convicted and sentenced to two years and one month imprisonment by a Lagos State Special Offences Mobile Court for stealing an iPhone XS Max from a woman he met through an online dating platform. The convict, Jeriq Enejo, was found guilty on two counts: breach of peace and stealing.
The Case
According to the prosecution, Enejo initiated contact with the complainant, Sopia Ojojo, online and invited her to a hotel under the pretense of a date. Once at the hotel, he fraudulently took her iPhone XS Max, valued at N350,000. During interrogation, Enejo confessed to selling the phone to an unidentified roadside buyer for N45,000.
The prosecution counsel, Oluwabusola Omotunde, told the court that the defendant was arraigned on charges contrary to Sections 168(1)(d) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Enejo pleaded guilty to both counts when they were read to him.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
In his judgment, Presiding Magistrate Adefioye F.J. emphasized that the defendant had no justification for his actions, noting that Enejo admitted this was his second similar offence. The court sentenced him to one month imprisonment for breach of peace and two years imprisonment without the option of a fine for stealing. The sentences are to run consecutively.
The case highlights the growing risks associated with online dating, where individuals have been targets of theft and fraud. Authorities urge vigilance when meeting strangers from the internet.
