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The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, April 4, 2022 secured the conviction of six persons charged for various offences bordering on cyber fraud before Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court and Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.
The Convicts are: Akibu Waris Oluwadamilola from Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State; Animasahaun Gbolahan Ahmed from Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State; Hammed Ibrahim Opeyemi who resides in Atari Area of Offa, Kwara State; Ibitowa Toheeb Abolayo from Ejigbo Local Government Area of Osun State; Salaudeen Muritala and Olagoke Hammed from Modakeke in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State.
The EFCC prosecuted five of the defendants before Justice Sani, while only Olagoke was tried before Justice Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin.
The defendants, who were arraigned on separate charges before the courts pleaded guilty to their respective charge.
Following their pleas, counsel to the EFCC in the matter – Aliyu Adebayo, Sesan Ola, Andrew Akoja and Rasheedat Alao who reviewed the facts of the cases and tendered extra-judicial statements of the defendants, phones, laptops, cars and fraudulent messages printed from their device, which were admitted in evidence.
The counsel urged the court to consider the proof of evidence, plea of guilt entered by the defendants and hold that the prosecution had established prima-facie case against the defendants. They prayed the court to convict them as charged.
In their separate judgements on the cases, Justice Sani and Akinpelu agreed that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The Justices found each of the defendants guilty of their respective charges.
Justice Sani sentence Akibu to one-year imprisonment each on count one and two, which would run concurrently with option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) on each count. The Judge ordered that one Toyota Camry Car, iphone 6 plus, hp laptop and monies which are proceeds of the illegal activities in his bank accounts be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The Judge sentenced Animashaun to three-year imprisonment on count one with option of fine of N59,900 (Fifty Nine Thousand, Five Hundred Naira Only) and three-year imprisonment on count two with option of fine of N584,700 (Five Hundred and Eighty Four Thousand, Seven Hundred Naira Only). The Court ordered that one iphone 12 which was used to perpetrate the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Hammed bagged one-year imprisonment on count one, two and three which would run concurrently with option of fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) on each count. The convict was ordered to raise the sum of $130 (One Hundred and Thirty Dollars) as restitution, while his iPhone X would be forfeited to the Federal Government.
In the same vein, Justice Sani sentenced Ibitowa to one-year imprisonment with option of fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira). The judge ordered the forfeiture of one iPhone x used by the convict to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.
The judge sentenced Salaudeen to one-year imprisonment each on count one and two with option of fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) on each count. The court ordered the forfeiture of one Toyota Camry Car and iPhone 11 Promax to the Federal Government.
For Olagoke, Justice Akinpelu pronounced a prison term of six-years each on count one and two with option of fine of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) on each count. The judge also ordered that one Honda Accord Car, iPhone 11 Promax and the sum of N1,913,432.75 domiciled in the convictโs Keystone bank account be forfeited to the Federal Government
