The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Ilorin Zonal Office on Thursday, July 25, 2019 secured the conviction of two internet fraudsters brought before Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of a Kwara State High Court.
The convicts, Muhammed Faruk and Abolarin Ridwan were arrested by operatives of the Commission on February 11, 2019 at the Irewolede area of Ilorin, following intelligence report.
Based on the weight of evidence gathered against them, they both opted to enter a plea bargain with the prosecution, prompting the amendment of the charge against them.
The charge against Faruk reads: โThat you, Muhammed Umar Faruk (alias Morgan Chase, Lina Swagger, Gina Crytal, Jeff Brad, Felicia Gonzales, Chase Big) sometime in February 2019, in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court did attempt to cheat by impersonation, when you pretended to be one Chase Morgan a white male with gmail account [email protected] and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 95 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the same Penal Code.โ
The amended charge against Gbolahan reads: โThat you, Abolarin Ridwan Gbolahan (alias Frank Sinatra) sometime in February 2019 in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did attempt to cheat by impersonation, when you pretended to be one Frank Sinatra a white male with gmail account [email protected], and hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 95 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the same Penal Code.โ
They each pleaded โguiltyโ to the charges against them.
Delivering judgment, Justice Oyinloye held that: โThis honourable Court agreed with the submission of the prosecution counsel, Sesan Ola, that the anti-graft body has proved the ingredients of attempt to cheat against the defendants.
โThis court convicts the defendants as charged and they are sentenced to one year imprisonment from 11th of February 2019 and to also forfeit to the Federal Government their phones.โ
