Six internet fraudsters have been jailed in Ilorin, Kwara State, for various offenses related to internet fraud.
The convicts, Akingbehin Temitope Oluwaseun, Ajayi Elijah Olaoluwa, Samson Babatunde Ilesanmi, Quadri Olamilekan Lamido, Kolawole Kehinde Moses, and Olatunji Elijah Olabisi, were found guilty of retention of proceeds of criminal activities, cheating, impersonation, and internet fraud.
The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuted the six individuals on multiple charges. Justices Haleema Saleeman and Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin, convicted and jailed the six persons.
The charge sheet against Oluwaseun, a 25-year-old car dealer, reads:
“That you, Akingbehin Temitope Oluwaseun, 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 in your Opay account number 09064776590 being the sum paid to you which you knew to be proceeds of criminal conduct, thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) and (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.”
Ilesanmi’s charge sheet 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 US dollars, thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 321 and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.”
All six defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them. Prosecution counsel Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja reviewed the facts of the cases, presented witnesses, and tendered the defendants’ extrajudicial statements.
The prosecution also tendered in evidence items recovered from the defendants at the point of arrest and the monetary proceeds of their unlawful activities. Satisfied that the cases against them had been proven beyond every reasonable doubt, the justices handed down various sentences.
Justice Saleeman sentenced Oluwaseun 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.
In addition, he forfeited his two phones, and a Toyota Camry car, 2009 Model to the Federal government.
Olaoluwa was committed to one-year imprisonment or to pay a fine of N500,000, in addition to the forfeiture of his iPhone 13 Promax, and the sum of $410 US dollars to the federal government.
Ilesanmi received a four-month prison term or to pay a fine of N250,000, and also forfeited the sum of $150 US dollars and his two phones to the federal government.
Lamidi got four months imprisonment or to pay a fine of N150,000 on count one; three months imprisonment or to pay a fine of N100,000 on count two, and two months prison term or to pay a fine of N50,000 on count three.
The sentences are to run concurrently, but he forfeited the sum of €325, 150 Canadian dollars, and the two phones to the federal government.
Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Moses to three three-month suspended sentences on counts one and two, in addition to the forfeiture of the sum of N330,000, $80 US dollars, and iPhone 12 Promax to the federal government.
In the case of Olabisi, the judge ordered him to pay up $25 US dollars being the balance of the restitution to be paid from the proceeds of his criminal activity and, in addition, forfeited the sum of $70 US dollars and his iPhone XR, to the federal government.
