An Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court sitting in Isabo, Ogun State, has sentenced a man identified as Idris Balogun to four years in prison for impersonating a bank official and defrauding customers of hundreds of thousands of naira.
Balogun, who has no fixed address, was convicted after pleading guilty to a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, impersonation, false pretence, stealing and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Magistrate A. Y. Morakinyo sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and fraud, without an option of fine on each count.
The court also handed down three years and two years’ imprisonment respectively for false pretence and stealing, equally without an option of fine.
However, the magistrate ordered that all the sentences should run concurrently, meaning Balogun will serve a maximum of four years in prison.
Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Johnson Pendosoji, told the court that Balogun committed the offences on February 22, 2019, and March 7, 2024, at Polaris Bank, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta.
Pendosoji alleged that Balogun posed as a member of staff of the bank and targeted customers who needed assistance with their transactions.
According to the prosecutor, Balogun obtained N270,000 from a customer, Jamiu Razaq, on February 22, 2019, after offering to help him pay the money into his bank account.
The prosecutor further alleged that the defendant repeated the same method on March 7, 2024, when he obtained N600,000 from another customer, Sukurat Tijani.
Pendosoji explained that Balogun would approach customers who needed assistance, collect their cash on the pretext of taking it to the cashier, and then disappear with the money.
He described the convict as a serial fraudster who allegedly specialised in impersonating bank employees to deceive unsuspecting customers.
“This act of fraudulent behavior should not be tolerated nor condoned by anyone,” Pendosoji told the court.
The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 383, 390(9), 484 and 419 of the Criminal Code, Volume 1, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.
