Court sends Social Media influencer, ‘Keanu Reeves’ to 1 year imprisonment

The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos state, on Thursday, May 16, sentenced Aluko Tunmise, a social media influencer and self-acclaimed model, to one year in prison for engaging in a celebrity sc@m.

He was arraigned before the court on one-count charge bordering on cybercrimes by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The charge against him read: “That you, ALUKO TUNIMISE JUWONLO (A.K.A. KEANUREEVES), sometime between January and March, 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, directly made a false statement, wherein you held yourself out asa white man by name ‘KEANUREEVES on your Telegram Account, knowing same to be false and with intent that the representation is relied upon for the purpose of procuring the issuance of financial instrument to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to qnd punishable under Section 22(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.”

He pleaded ‘guilty’ to the charge and Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke sentenced him to one year in prison with an option of N300,000 fine, as well as 100 hours of community service.

Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of Turnmise’s iPhone to the Federal Government of Nigeria, emphasizing the consequences of cybercrimes and the need for deterrence in the digital age.