Hon Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced Ndidi Joshua Bobby to a cumulative 42 years’ imprisonment for offences bordering on internet fraud, possession of fraudulent documents, and obtaining money under false pretence.
The conviction followed his prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Okotie-Eboh, on charges involving the sum of €80,000.
Bobby was initially arraigned in December 2021 on a two-count charge. However, the prosecution, led by L.A. Tukur, later amended the charge to six counts on July 2, 2025, pursuant to the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006.
One of the charges stated that the defendant, sometime in 2020 in Lagos, with intent to defraud, had in his possession fraudulent documents in which he falsely represented himself as “Prince Louis” to one Sabine Sigrid Osterlehner, with the misrepresentation traced to materials printed from his phone and Facebook account.
Another count alleged that he dishonestly converted €80,000 belonging to the same victim to his personal use.
The defendant pleaded not guilty, leading to a full trial, which commenced on February 11, 2022. During the proceedings, the prosecution called two witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits.
At the close of the prosecution’s case on October 12, 2023, the defendant filed a no-case submission, which was dismissed by the court. He was subsequently ordered to open his defence and testified on his own behalf.
While delivering judgment yesterday, Justice Abike-Fadipe held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court sentenced the convict to seven years’ imprisonment on each of the six counts, with the sentences to run concurrently.
Justice Abike-Fadipe also ordered the forfeiture of all items recovered from the convict to the Federal Government of Nigeria, having been used as instruments in committing the offences.
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