The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, has successfully secured the conviction and sentencing of ten fraudsters to various prison terms for their involvement in internet fr*ud.
In a significant development, Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court in Ilorin, on Monday, delivered judgments and sentences to five individuals, imposing jail terms on them.
The convicted individuals include Sodiq Shehu, Ayinla Abdulwaheed Ayomide, Abdulkareem Omotosho, Ekundayo Stephen Samuel, and Ayinla Sofiu Abayomi.
The charge against Ayomide read: “That you, Ayinla Abdulwaheed Ayomide whilst a PICKER between January 2022 and August 2023 at Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession of the sum of N5,373,000.00, transferred into your Zenith Bank account number: 2400818519 and FCMB Bank Account No: 4883945011 and which sum you knew directly represented the proceeds of crime of some persons, vz; Oluwatobi Babajide John, Akeem Adedeji, Adeleke Adedeji, e.t.c and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) & (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004.”
The defendants admitted their guilt to their respective charges after being read the charges against them. Following this, the prosecution counsel, Innocent Mbachie, petitioned the court to proceed with conviction and sentencing.
As a result, Justice Anyadike imposed a sentence of four months in prison, along with a fine of N200,000 for each count, on Shehu.
Likewise, Ayomide, Omotosho, Samuel, and Abayomi received sentences of 12 months in prison, with fines ranging from N200,000 to N300,000.
The court also mandated that all the phones and laptops used by the convicts to commit the crimes, as well as the money they brought as restitution, be forfeited to the Federal Government.
In another development, Justices Adebayo Yusuf and Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, and Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court in Ilorin, at separate sittings on Tuesday, convicted, and sentenced another set of five suspected internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
The convicts include Evugbemu Emoefe Emmanuel, Osi Ayomide Shitu, Alade Abiodun, Adegoke Gbolahan, and Shehu Abdugafar Bukola.
The charge against Evugbemu Emoefe Emmanuel reads: “That you, Evugbemu Emoefe Emmanuel (Alias: Lilian Trejo) sometime between November 2023 and April 2024 at Ilorin, within the judicial division of the High Court, did cheat by personation when you pretended to be one Lilian Trejo vide your Facebook messenger account and induced one Carl Perez to part with the sum of $1,300 US dollars through Cash App and Gift cards and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Law and Punishable under Section 324 of the same law.”
They pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them, following which EFCC lawyers, Innocent Mbachie, Andrew Akoja and Mustapha Kaigama, prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
The justices, in their separate judgments, convicted and sentenced them to various jail terms.
Justice Yusuf sentenced Emmanuel to six months imprisonment without an option of fine and ordered that the sum of $1,3300 which was recovered from him as well as his phone and laptop be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The judge also sentenced Abiodun to six months imprisonment with an option of N200,000 fine, while Shittu bagged two years imprisonment with an option of N300,000 fine. The court also ordered that the phones used as an instrument of the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Similarly, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Bukola to six months imprisonment with an option of N200,000 fine and ordered the forfeiture of the sum of $150 and the phone used by the convict to perpetrate the crime.
Justice Anyadike, in the same vein, sentenced Gbolahan to six months imprisonment each on the two counts brought against him with an option of N100,000, on each count.
The court also ordered that the convict’s iPhone 12, Samsung Galaxy S8, and MacBook laptop be forfeited to the Federal Government.
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