By Owolola Adebola
The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday March 21, 2022 secured the conviction of six persons for offences bordering on cheating by impersonation and other internet related fraud.
The convicts are: Ikudiase Olalekan Adesoji, a mechanic who hails from Aramoko, Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State; Omilana Afeez Olamilekan, a painter from Iragbiji in Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State; Samsondeen Oluwadamilola Okeniwun, from Abeokuta in Ogun State; Bashit Akorede Ganiyu from Oshogbo in Osun State; Sikiru Mustapha, who claimed to be a sex entertainer, living in the United States of America and Oladele Fawaz Olakanmi, a tailor who hails from Osogbo, Osun State.
They were convicted and sentenced to various jail terms by Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court, Ilorin, having found them guilty of the charges levelled against them by the EFCC.
The defendants were arraigned before the court on separate charges, to which they pleaded guilty.
Following the guilty plea entered by the defendants, Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja, who prosecuted the cases on behalf of the EFCC reviewed the facts of the cases. They tendered the extra-judicial statements of the defendants, phones and laptops recovered from them, one Toyota Camry car, and fraudulent messages printed from their devices, which were admitted in evidence.
The prosecuting counsel prayed to uphold the cases of the prosecution and pronounced them guilty as charged.
Justice Sani in his judgement found merit in the cases and pronounced the defendants guilty as charged.
The judge sentenced Ikudaisi to one year imprisonment with option of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) fine.
He also ordered that a 2008 Toyota Camry car, which he purchased with the proceed of crime and one iPhone 11 Pro Max be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Omilana bagged six months imprisonment with an option of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) fine. In addition, the convict is to forfeit one Android Phone and the sum of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only) to the Federal Government. Beside this, Omilana was ordered to restitute the sum of N484,000 to his victims.
The court also sentenced Samsondeen to one-year imprisonment with option of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) fine. iPhone XR and the sum of $585 (Five Hundred and Eighty Five Dollars) be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Bashit, on the other, hand bagged six months imprisonment with an option of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) fine. The court ordered that the iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone X, HP laptop and $1,050 (One Thousand, Fifty Dollars) recovered from him be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Sani sentenced Sikiru to six months imprisonment, with an option of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) fine. The convict would also forfeit one iPhone 11, which he used to perpetrate the crime and $205 (Two Hundred and Five United States Dollars) to the Federal Government.
Justice Sani also sentenced Oladele to six months imprisonment with option of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) fine. The HP Laptop, iPhone 11 Pro Max, which were used to perpetrate the crime and $480 (Four Hundred and Eighty Dollars) be forfeited to the Federal Government.
