The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of 37 Internet fraudsters between November and December 2023.
The convicts were said to have been secured by the Ibadan Zonal Command of EFCC and prosecuted before Justices Ladiran Akintola, O.A. Olajide, J.O. Adeyemi, Bayo Taiwo and M.O. Ishola of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan.
Others were said to have been convicted by Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State and Justices A.A. Babawale, A.A. Akinyemi and S.O. Adeniyi of the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta.
The convicts, according to a statement from Dele Oyewale, the head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, on Thursday, were arraigned between November and December 2023 on a one-count separate charge each.
The convicts were listed as Aladelusi Temitope Matthew, Akinade Abimbola Oluwaseun, Gbenga Musbau Adebayo, Olaitan Gbenga Josiah, Adegboyega Toluwalope Owolabi, Giwa Areef Olakunle, Victor Ogundahunsi Damilare, Kelvin Dave Udanyi, Ayeloja Ridwan Oluwatobilola and Adebule Olamide.
Others are Olamilekan Gbolahan Adeniji, Agboola Oladimeji Taofeek, Ojo Odegbile Oke, Abdulazeez Ajadi Oludare, Oyewole Korede Tolu, Okeowo Abiodun Sunday, Oladokun Peter Ayomide, Samuel Ayodeji Mayokun, Hamzat Taofeek Opeyemi, Echeta Chidi Oluwambe, Mujeeb Adedeji, Eyinola Ojo Tosin and Makinde Kehinde Bukola.
The rest of the convicts are: Jubril Ayomide Adeshina, Gbolahan Emmanuel Jayeola, Eyamekware Gabriel Cleverly, Kazeem Orija Oladimeji, Echeta Chinedu Junior, Oyelakin Collins Ayomide, Olanrewaju Kabir Olamilekan, Lasisi Damilola Idris, Emmanuel Ojima Matthew, Sonibare Adebayo Wasiu, Makinde Olamiposi Feranmi, Timileyin Bankole Toyosi, Adeyinka Monsuru Oladaride and Ubiwe Kenneth.
One of the counts read: “That you, Oyelakin Collins Ayomide, on or about June 2, 2023, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did sell hacked Facebook accounts with different identity cards to Internet fraudsters, thereby aiding them in committing an offence, aiding another person in committing, an offence contrary to Sections 7 (c) and 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 30, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
Another count charge read, “That you, Eyamekware Gabriel Cleverly, on or about April 2023 at Ibadan, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud one Lukas Wack, did falsely represent yourself to be a white lady who goes by the name Elmar Bockmar, thereby committed an offence of personation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
Upon their arraignments, they all pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
The statement partly read;
“Consequently, facts of the cases were reviewed, several indicting documents and exhibits were tendered as evidences in the courts, urging the courts to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
“The courts convicted and sentenced Owolabi, Olamide, Taofeek, Oke, Oludare, Tolu, Sunday and Feranmi to one-year imprisonment each, Tosin to one-month community service, while Idris and Toyosi bagged two months community service each and Josiah, Ayomide, Oladimeji, Matthew and Kenneth got three months community service each.
“Also, Aladelusi, Oluwaseun, Adebayo, Olakunle, Damilare, Udanyi, Oluwatobilola, Adeniji, Mayokun, Opeyemi, Oluwambe, Adedeji, Bukola, Adeshina, Jayeola, Cleverly, Junior, Oladokun, Olamilekan, Wasiu and Oladaride were convicted and sentenced to six months community service each.
“Furthermore, the convicts were ordered to restitute their various victims and forfeit all items recovered from them, including seven exotic cars to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“They all began their journey to the correctional centres when they were arrested by operatives of the EFCC for Internet-related offences. They were also investigated, prosecuted and got convicted for their various offences.” (Punch)
