By Akinsuroju Olubunmi
Cybercrime : Crypto trader Lawrence Success Karinate convicted for cybercrimes
A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on October 6, 2023, handed down a conviction to Lawrence Success Karinate, a Peer-to-Peer crypto trader, for computer-related fraud. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) released an official statement on its website, efcc.gov.ng, confirming the verdict on Monday.
Karinate faced a one-count charge related to cybercrimes, a violation of Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, etc.) Act, 2015. The charge detailed how he misrepresented himself as a female fashion influencer named “Jessie Randall” on social media platforms in 2023, with the intent to defraud unsuspecting members of the public. This action, the court ruled, constituted a cybercrime offense.
Expressing remorse for his actions, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charge and assured the court of his commitment to abstain from such activities in the future. However, his counsel, Chikezie Kingsley, implored the court for leniency, emphasizing that Karinate had no prior criminal record.
Presiding over the case, Justice Oweibo decreed a fine of N200,000 as the penalty for Karinate’s offense.