Court jails 17 in Oyo and Ogun States for Internet Fraud

No fewer than 17 internet fraudsters have been convicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Oyo and Ogun states.

The commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

The commission said the internet fraudsters were convicted by its Ibadan zonal office.

According to the EFCC, the convicts were arrested between January 8 and January 28 and were convicted after pleading guilty to a one-count charge against them. They were arraigned and convicted by Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, and Justice A.A. Babawale of the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta, respectively.

The convicts are Akinbode Abiodun, Samad Tijani Owolabi, Ademola Olabamiji Quadri, Evewiekpoamare Tivere Jackson, Adeagbo Stephen Adegbenro, Adesanya Olamilekan Dare, Yusuf Saka Olaoluwatobi, Akinbode Adedolapo Joshua, Musa Ayinde Olorunnisola, and Lawal Mohammed Segun. Others include Moses Bitrus Bugama, Odude Kehinde Ayomipo, Bashiru Quadri Adeyinka, Ochoche Silas Ochola, Nurudeen Olamilekan Quam, Afeez Adewale Jimoh, and Olowookere Ademola Sobbur.

One of the charges read: “That you, Adesanya Olamilekan Dare ‘M’ on or about May 24, 2023, at Ibadan, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this Court, fraudulently impersonated by representing yourself to be a white man by the name, Daryl Huffman, from the United States of America, to one Angie Shepard, through your Facebook account with the email address: daryhuffman1960@gmail.com, and other pretenses, which pretenses you knew to be false, thereby committing the offense of impersonation, contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

Before the convicts were sentenced, facts of the cases were reviewed by the prosecution counsels, and indicting documents and other incriminating materials were tendered as evidence in the court.

They urged the courts to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.

Upon the prayers of the prosecution counsels, Justice Babawale convicted and sentenced Sobbur to one year imprisonment without an option of fine. Also, Justice Adetujoye convicted and sentenced Olorunnisola to two months imprisonment, and Jimoh, Quam, Ochola, Adeyinka, Ayomipo, Bugama, Segun, and Olaoluwatobi to one month jail term each.

Furthermore, Joshua, Dare, Adegbenro, and Abiodun were convicted and sentenced to two weeks imprisonment each without an option of fine, while Owolabi, Quadri, and Jackson bagged two weeks of community service each,” Mr. Oyewale said.

The court also ordered the convicts to make restitution to their various victims, including Owolabi who is to pay the sum of N11,749,823.36 (Eleven Million, Seven Hundred and Forty-nine Thousand, Eight Hundred and Twenty-three Naira, Thirty-six Kobo).

Items forfeited by the convicts to the Federal Government of Nigeria include one gold color Lexus ES 330 with Registration number: FKG 184 HZ, one unregistered silver color Toyota Corolla 2006 model, one black color Honda Pilot 2004 model with registration number: LSR 783 HW and Chassis number: 2HKYF18464H598117, and one black Lexus ES 300 2002 model with registration number: APP 27 GT with chassis number: JTHBF30G020048119, among others.

In a related development, the Oyo State Police Command handed over four suspected internet fraudsters to the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC on January 26. The suspects are Abiodun Ajayi, Salako Saheed, Qudus Owolabi, and Abiodun Ridwan.

They were arrested at the Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo state, following actionable intelligence on suspected fraudulent internet-related activities. Mr. Oyewale said that they would be charged to court after investigations are concluded.

Items recovered from them include one unregistered Toyota Camry, one gold color Toyota Camry with Registration number: APP 192 CB; two laptops and five mobile phones, among others.