Justices Haleema Saleeman and Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin have convicted and sentenced six persons to jail for internet fraud.
The convicts are: Akingbehin Temitope Oluwaseyi, Ajayi Elijah Olaoluwa, Samsom Babatunde Ilesanmi, Quadri Olamilekan Lamidi, Kolawole Kehinde Moses and Olatunji Elija Olabisi.
They were prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on multiple charges that bordered on retention of proceeds of criminal activities, cheating, impersonation and internet fraud.
Oluwaseyi, (a 25-year-old car dealer), Olaoluwa, Ilesanmi and Lamidi were dragged before Justice Saleeman while the duo of Moses and Olabisi were prosecuted before Justice Abdulgafar.
The charge against Oluwaseyi reads: “That you, Akingbehin Temitope Oluwaseyi, sometime between 2021 and 2024 at Offa, within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, did retain the control of the gross sum of N2,707,562 (Two Million, Seven Hundred and Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-Two Naira) in your Opay account number 09064776590 being the sum paid to you which you knew to be proceed of criminal conduct, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) and (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004”
That of Ilesanmi reads: “That you, Samson Babatunde Ilesanmi (a.k.a Angela Sara Maya) sometimes in 2023 within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court did cheat by personation when you pretended to be one Angela Sara Maya vide Facebook messenger account and induced one Larry Guerrero to part with the sum of $250 (Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars) thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 321 and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.”
They all pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them, following which prosecution counsel, Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja reviewed the facts of the cases, presented witnesses and tendered the extra-judicial statements of the defendants. They also tendered in evidence items recovered from them at the point of arrest and the monetary proceeds of their unlawful activities.
Satisfied that the cases against them have been proven beyond every reasonable doubt, Justice Saleeman sentenced Oluwaseyi to one year imprisonment on Count One or to pay a fine of one million naira and also a one year imprisonment on Count Two or to pay a fine of N707,562 (Seven Hundred and Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-two Naira). In addition, he forfeited his two phones, being the tools of his crime and a Toyota Camry car, 2009 Model to the federal government.
He committed Olaoluwa to one year imprisonment or to pay a fine of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira). In addition he forfeited his iPhone 13 Promax, being the tool of his unlawful activities and the sum of $410 (Four Hundred and Ten United States Dollars) to the federal government.
The judge handed four months prison term to Ilesanmi or to pay a fine of N250,00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). In addition, he forfeited the sum of $150 (One Hundred and Fifty Dollars) and his two phones, being the tool of his crime to the federal government.
Lamidi got four months imprisonment or to pay a fine of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) on Count One; three months imprisonment or to pay a fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) on Count Two and two months prison term or to pay a fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) on Count Three. The sentences run concurrently. In addition, he forfeited the sum of €325 (Three Hundred and Twenty-five Euros), $150 Canadian dollars and the two phones being instruments of his crime to the federal government.
