Sixteen internet fraudsters have been convicted and sentenced to prison by five courts in Ibadan, Oyo State and Osogbo, Osun State.
The convicts are Abdulsalam Hamid Oladimeji, Odegbile Olufemi Philip, Ajao Taiwo Samuel, Awosanya Babatunde Solomon, Oluwafemi Azeez Abdulazeez, Adeyemo Waliu Adekunle and Aladesanmi Olamilekan Eniola.
Others are Ojumu Ayomide Bamidele, Joseph Anthony Oloche, Afolabi Saheed Precious, Ogunjimi Emmanuel Abiodun, Oluwafeyisesan Oluwajubelo Oluwaseki, Lawal Tosinmile Moses, Victor Omaye Adaji, Gabriel Oluwadamilare Olaniran and Oni-Olutola Olamilekan.
In a statement on Thursday, July 18, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said its Ibadan Zonal Command prosecuted the convicts on separate one-count charges bordering on impersonation, obtaining by false pretence, cheating and possession of fraudulent documents.
The anti-graft commission said the convicts were among the internet fraudsters suspects arrested recently in Akure, Ondo State by operatives of its Ibadan Zonal Command.
The charge against Olamilekan reads: “That you, Oni-Olutola Olamilekan ‘M’ on or about 9th February, 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to gain advantage for yourself falsely impersonate one Michael Reese, male from the United States of America through Google Mail Account to one Donna Vos, wherein you obtained the sum of $600 USD (Six Hundred United States of America Dollars) the pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015.”
They all pleaded “guilty” when their charges were read to them, following which the prosecution counsel reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered incriminating documents against them and prayed the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice M. Salisu of the Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo convicted and sentenced Oladimeji, Adaji and Philip to one year imprisonment each or to pay a fine of N1million and N300,000 respectively, while Olaniran and Olamilekan bagged six months jail term each or to pay a fine of N500,000 and N250,000 respectively.
Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan convicted and sentenced Samuel, Abdulazeez and Adekunle to three months of community service each or to pay a fine of N30,000 each, while he convicted and sentenced Solomon to six months of community service or to pay a fine of N50,000.
Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Osun State High Court, sitting in Osogbo convicted and sentenced Bamidele to one year imprisonment without an option of fine, handed six months jail term to Eniola or to pay a N300,000 option of fine, while Oloche and Precious bagged three months jail term each or to pay a fine of N300,000 and N250,000, respectively.
Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan convicted and sentenced Abiodun to four months imprisonment without an option of fine, while Justice E. U. Akpan of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan convicted and sentenced Oluwaseki and Moses to one year imprisonment each or to pay a fine of N500,000 and N150,000 respectively.
The convicts forfeited all items and money recovered from them to the federal government.