Cyber Fraud: Anti-graft Agency convicts 17 persons in Oyo, Ogun States

The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has secured the conviction and sentencing of 17 internet fraudsters before Justices Bayo Taiwo, Ladiran Akintola and Mohammed Owolabi of the State High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State and Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu of Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta, on a separate one count charge each.

The jail terms of the convicts range from two to nine months of community service, and one year in prison.

The convicts are Oduola Kunmi Ireola, Igbamidun Joshua Olamiposi, Ismael Fatai Olatunji, Osundele Oladapo Daniel, Olawale Isaac Adeleke and Olorunyomi Idowu Babatunde.

Others are Aneh Ojonimi, Olaide Iyanuoluwa Sadare, Akintola Babatunde Rasheed, Jamiu Babatunde Salam, Aluko Abayomi Oluwadamilare, Bello Ridwan Ayobami, Maleek Michael Ibrahim, Arasi Oluwaseun Tobi, Ganiu Fawaz Olalekan, Bello Ayoinde Olamilekan and Abiodun Taiwo Kareem.

The convicts all pleaded ‘guilty’ to the one count charge filed against each one of them by the EFCC.

Consequently, prosecution counsels, Modupe Akinkoye, Oyelakin Oyediran, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, Musa Galadanchi, Abdulrasheed Suleiman, Mabas Mabur, and Samsudeen Bashir reviewed the facts of the cases and urged the courts to convict and sentence the defendants as charged.

The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed that while Osundele was convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment; Arasi, Ganiu and Ibrahim bagged nine months jail term each.

Also, while Akintola was convicted and sentenced to nine months community service; Oduola, Jamiu, Aluko and Bello bagged six months community service each, as Igbamidun and Kareem got five months community service each.

Furthermore, Olatunji was convicted and sentenced to four months community service, Ayorinde to two months community service, while Olorunyomi, Ojonimi and Sadare were convicted and fined N100, 000. 00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) each and Adeleke, N150, 000 .00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) fine.

Justice Bayo Taiwo ordered that Osundele Oladapo Daniel pay the sum of $16, 671. 00USD in restitution and forfeit one white colour Toyota Venza car worth a N7million to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Other convicts were also ordered to restitute their victims and forfeit all items recovered from them to the government.