Fake Online Beauty Promoter Bags 10 Years Imprisonment

The Kaduna State High Court in Kaduna has sentenced a fake beauty promoter, Ogunleye Oluwasola, to ten years imprisonment for cheating and obtaining by false pretence.

The judge, A.A Isiaka, jailed Oluwasola after he pleaded guilty to one count of cheating and obtaining by false pretence, a charge brought against him by the Kaduna Zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

A statement issued by EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Thursday, said the convict pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

“Based on his plea, prosecution counsel, M. Lawal, prayed the court to convict and sentence him accordingly,” the statement said.

While sentencing Oluwasola, the judge ordered of the forfeiture of “two Iphones, Mercedes Benz E350, 2011 model, Toyota Camry 2011 XLE” seized from the convict to the federal government.

He has also ordered him to make a restitution of N740,000 to the victim of the fraud.

According to the statement, Oluwasola’s journey to the correctional centre began when a petitioner, Solomon Suzzie, wrote the EFCC, alleging that she came across a beauty contest post on WhatsApp and indicated interest.

She joined the group and participated after which she was selected as one of the contestants.

Suzzie was constantly making payments for votes amounting to N740,000 to an account provided by the group administrator with no winner announced.

She was asked to pay more money, and sensing foul play, she petitioned the EFCC.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that the entire scheme, tagged, ‘Online Photo Contest,’ was designed by the convict, the sole proprietor, in 2020 to defraud unsuspecting members of the public of their money.