TRIVIALISING PENALTY FOR INTERNET FRAUD: REVIEW OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA V AIFUWA COURAGE OSASUMWEN

Abstract

The paper argues that the court judgement in the Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Aifuwa Courage Osasumwen does not support the objective of the Nigerian Cybercrimes Act 2015, especially with the increasing involvement of Nigerian youths in domestic and global internet fraud. It negates the existing cybercrime law and practice concerning the concept of plea bargain and, consequently, a stamp on Nigerian youths' perpetration of internet fraud. The court’s reliance on Section 454(1) of the Administration Criminal Justice Act 2015 and the basis upon which the decision was reached arguably trivialises the offence of internet fraud. Again, when juxtaposed against similar decisions in the United States of America, the court’s judgement falls short of any deterring effect on the proliferating nature of internet fraud.