The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentencing of five internet fraudsters before Justices Adenike Akinpelu and Mahmoud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin.
The convicts are Oyedepo Olamilekan Benjamin, Suleiman Saheed Olayinka, Fakeye Tolulope Emmanuel, Great Ukueni and Adeshina Joseph Oluwaseun.
The defendants who were prosecuted on different separate count charges before the judges pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
Upon their guilty pleas, prosecuting counsels: Andrew Akoja, Mustapha Kaigama and Isabel Adeniran narrated the circumstances that led to the arrest of the defendants. They urged the court to consider the plea of the defendants, the extra judicial statements and all the exhibits tendered to convict the defendants as charged.
Justice Akinpelu in her judgment sentenced Benjamin to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira Only) and ordered the forfeiture of one Apple Iphone X; Hp laptop and the sum of $457 (Four Hundred and Fifty Seven United States Dollars) benefited from the unlawful activities to the Federal Government.
The Judge also sentenced Olayinka to six months imprisonment with an option of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) and ordered that one Samsung A03 phone recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Akinpelu equally sentenced Emmanuel to six months imprisonment an with option of fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) and ordered that the sum of $400 (Four Hundred United States Dollars), one phone and hp laptop belonging to the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government.
On the other hand, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Ukueni to six months imprisonment which is to be suspended and ordered the forfeiture of one Dell Laptop used as instrument of crime by the convict.
The court also sentenced Oluwaseun to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) and ordered the forfeiture of one iphone 13 promax and sum of $250 (Two Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars) recovered from the convict.
All the convicts bagged their imprisonment when they were arrested by operatives of the EFCC for internet-related offences. Investigations were conducted on their respective cases, prompting their prosecution and conviction.
