The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully secured the conviction of Lawal Oluwadamilare Samuel, a man found guilty of cybercrime. Samuel was sentenced to six months in prison by Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
Conviction and Charge Details
Samuel, who had been operating under the alias Sandra Brooks, was arraigned on a one-count charge of internet fraud. The charge reads:
“That you, Lawal Oluwadamilare Samuel (a.k.a Sandra Brooks), sometime in 2022 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, and with intent to defraud over the internet, did represent and hold out yourself on Google as 'Sandra Brooks', a white female from Virginia, USA, to one Keith, with intent to gain an advantage for yourself. You thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, etc.) Act, 2015.”
Samuel pleaded guilty to the charge brought against him, which led to the court proceedings.
EFCC’s Investigation and Evidence
Following his guilty plea, EFCC counsel A.A. Usman called upon an EFCC operative, Muhammad Al-mustapha Bello, to review the facts of the case. Bello revealed that Samuel was arrested on May 16, 2025, at his hideout in the Command area of Ipaja, Lagos, during a raid based on intelligence gathered by the Commission.
According to Bello, Samuel had created a fraudulent Facebook profile using a female persona, “Sandra Brooks,” claiming to be from Virginia, USA. He engaged an individual named Keith, based in Illinois, USA, and successfully defrauded him of $700 (Seven Hundred US Dollars).
Further investigation led to the recovery of several items from the defendant, including a Samsung Galaxy S9, an HP laptop, a Samsung tablet, and a 2008 Mercedes Benz C300 car. Samuel also restituted a sum of ₦500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) via Zenith Bank.
Court’s Decision
During the proceedings, the prosecution presented the defendant’s extrajudicial statements, the recovered items, and forensic investigation documents as evidence. These were all admitted into the court record.
In his defense, Samuel's counsel, Kehinde Sanni-Mutoshi, appealed for leniency, stating that the defendant was a first-time offender and deeply remorseful for his actions.
However, Justice Dipeolu found the charges against Samuel to be grave and subsequently convicted him. The court sentenced Samuel to six months in prison with an option of a fine of ₦3,000,000 (Three Million Naira).
Justice Dipeolu also ordered the forfeiture of the following assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria:
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Samsung Galaxy S9
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HP Laptop
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Samsung Tablet
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Mercedes Benz C300 2008 model
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₦500,000 restitution
Impact of the Ruling
This conviction marks another significant victory in the EFCC’s ongoing fight against cybercrime and online fraud. The Federal High Court’s ruling serves as a reminder of the government’s commitment to addressing internet-related crimes and ensuring that justice is served.
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