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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
Justices Ladiran Akintola, O.S. Adeyemi, K.B. Olawoyin, and G.A. Sunmonu of the Oyo State High Court, along with Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, have convicted and sentenced 32 persons to prison for fraud.
They were prosecuted by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate one-count charges bordering on impersonation and internet-related offences.
The convicts are Kolade Olayinka Akinlosotu, Adetoro Kolawole Jelili, Olatunji Opeyemi Matthew, Ehifowoju Kehinde Emmanuel, Basit Akorede Mustapha, Banjoko Olamide Oriyomi, Badmus Quazeem Damilola, Ikumapayi Olalekan Babajide, Muili Olamilekan Sodiq, Odususi Yemi Michael, Ashiru Adebola Ibrahim, Ayomide Olamide Ogidan, Fatusin Michael Abayomi, Omotosho Oluwapelumi James, Adewale Ibikunle Abdullahi, Ismail Ibrahim Friday, Adedara Ademola Ayobami, Ajayi Elijah Oladimeji, Oladele Salam, Olasunkanmi Kadril Yakub, Ayomide Hassan Omolade, Ojo Oluwanifemi Emmanuel, Temitope Gbenga Agbaminoja, Oyewale Timileyin Ayodeji, Olajide Lekan Peter, Obaoye Samuel Olaoluwa, Ajayi Okiki Michael, Mustapha Quadri Ayinde, Oluwatimilehin Noah Ojo, Oluwajana Segun Joseph, Oluwashina Gbenga Adeniyi, and Kolawole Ojukotimi Adebesin.
The charge against Akinlosotu reads: ‘That you, Kolade Olayinka Akinlosotu, sometime in May 2023 at Ibadan, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud one Orlando Mejia, did falsely represent yourself as one Amanda Smith, a woman from Texas, United States of America, through Facebook with account name Amanda Smith, thereby committing an offence of impersonation, contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Cap. 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.’
They all pleaded ‘guilty’ when the charges were read to them, upon which prosecution counsel Modupe Akinkoye, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, Chidi Okoli, Sanusi Galadanchi, Lanre Suleiman, Mabas Mabur, Shamsuddeen Bashir, David Olubode, and A.M. Aliyu prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Consequently, Justice Olawoyin convicted and sentenced Peter to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of N500,000, and Ayodeji to one year’s imprisonment or a fine of N250,000, while Justice Maha convicted and sentenced Abayomi to one year’s imprisonment or a fine of N250,000.
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Justice Adeyemi, on her part, convicted and sentenced Oriyomi and Ibrahim to one year’s imprisonment each without the option of a fine. Ayobami, Abdullahi, and Ayinde were sentenced to six months’ community service each, without the option of a fine. She convicted and sentenced Ojo, Mustapha, and Adebesin to three months’ community service each, without the option of a fine.
Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Oladimeji, Joseph, and Olaoluwa to one year’s imprisonment each or fines of N50,000, N40,000, and N150,000 respectively.
He sentenced Adeniyi to six months’ imprisonment or a fine of N150,000, while Jelili received six months’ community service or a fine of N150,000. Michael and Olamide were sentenced to three months’ imprisonment each or a fine of N50,000 each.
Also convicted and sentenced by Justice Akintola were Kehinde Emmanuel, Babajide, Sodiq, James, Salam, Yakub, Omolade, Oluwanifemi Emmanuel, Agbaminoja, Okiki Michael, and Friday, who received three months’ community service each or fines of N50,000, N50,000, N75,000, N50,000, N75,000, N40,000, N50,000, N40,000, N40,000, N30,000, and N50,000 respectively.
Furthermore, Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Matthew and Damilola to fines of N30,000 and N50,000 respectively.
Justice Sunmonu convicted and sentenced Akinlosotu to three months’ community service without the option of a fine.
Besides their sentences, all the convicts forfeited items recovered from them to the Federal Government. These include money, phones, and laptop computers. Other items forfeited are a green-coloured Toyota Camry 2205 model car with registration number EPE–232–GU recovered from Oriyomi, a wine-coloured Toyota Camry vehicle with registration number MUS–84–GU recovered from Ibrahim, a red-coloured Toyota Corolla car with chassis number 2T1BU4EE3AC495391 recovered from Olaoluwa, a black-coloured Toyota Camry car with registration number MUS–683–HJ recovered from Adeniyi, and a golden-coloured Toyota Camry vehicle with chassis number 411BE46KX8U203665 recovered from Abdullahi.
In addition, the court ordered Ayobami to pay the sum of N2.5 million as restitution to his victim.
