Kaduna Court Jails Two for Online Impersonation, Fraud

The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of two individuals, Musa Abdulmalik and Sunday Godwin, for impersonation-related fraud.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Amina Bello of the Kaduna State High Court in Kaduna after both men were prosecuted on separate one-count charges bordering on cheating by impersonation.

According to the charge against Abdulmalik, he allegedly posed as a female adult entertainer identified as “Lynn Ben” on the messaging platform Telegram. By assuming that identity in January 2026 in Kaduna, he reportedly deceived a victim identified as BJK and obtained $80 from the individual.

The act was said to be in violation of Section 308 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017, and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.

Godwin, on the other hand, was accused of defrauding several unsuspecting victims in 2025 by pretending to be “Chrismitchellprivateacc3” on TikTok. Through this impersonation, he allegedly collected a total of $400 in Australian currency from his victims, an offence also punishable under the same provisions of the Kaduna State Penal Code.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them. Following their pleas, prosecuting counsel M.E. Eimonye urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

In her ruling, Justice Bello sentenced Abdulmalik to five years imprisonment with an option of a ₦300,000 fine. The court also ordered the forfeiture of a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra phone used in carrying out the offence, as well as $80 identified as proceeds of the crime, to the federal government.

Godwin was sentenced to four years imprisonment with the option of paying a ₦300,000 fine. Additionally, the court ordered that the $400 Australian dollars obtained through the fraudulent scheme and an iPhone 13 used in committing the offence be forfeited to the federal government.