Court Jails 32 Internet Fraudsters in Ibadan, Osogbo

The Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentence of 32 internet fraudsters before seven judges High Court judges in Ibadan, Oyo State and one High Court judge in Osogbo, Osun State.

The convicts are: Udoka Uzo Omefe, Adedara Ademola Ayobami, Ajayi Elijah Oladimeji, Eze James Jeffery, Olaleye Tope Akorede, Akinyemi Emmanuel Olawale, Ogbu Martins Abuchi, Oluwadare Daniel Ayomide, Adaja Oluwadamilola Oladipupo, Oyedele Diekolope Isreal, Aro Adewale Temitayo, Aluko Daniel Opeyemi, Gbadegesin Jamiu Seun, Emmanuel Oladiran Adewale, Ozor Chidozie Patrick, Adebowale Sam Adabariki and Olamilekan Akeem Adewale.

Others are: Godstime Favour Ubierowoh, Lawal Azeez Ishola, Ismail Abayomi Akinsola, Oyetunji Zikrullah Temilade, Ojo Ayomide Samuel, Tade Dickson Ayomide, Okunade Azeez Babatunde, Omotosho Adebayo Olayinka, Rotimi Mayowa Oluwatosin, Akande Samson Tunmise, Ekundayo Mayowa Victor, Abiodun Akindoyin Oluwafemi, Christopher Inalegu Daniel, Onazi Lucky Bidemi and Akingbogun Tobi Afeez.

They were prosecuted on a separate one-count charge, bordering on obtaining by false pretence, advance fee fraud, retention of proceeds of crime and possession of fraudulent documents.

The charge against Omefe reads: “That you Udoka Uzo Omefe ‘M’ on or about the 8^th of June, 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did aid one Yemi and other internet fraudsters, now at large to create the profile pictures they used to obtain money from their victims by false pretence, and hereby commited an offence of aiding another person in committing an offence, contrary to Section 7(c) and Punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

They all pleaded “guilty” to their charge when they were read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel, Modupe Akinkoye, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, Chidi Okoli, Sanusi Galadanchi, Lanre Suleiman, Mabas Mabur, Shamsuddeen Bashir, David Olubode and A.M. Aliyu to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly, while the defence counsel pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they are first time offenders and they are willing to turn over a new leaf.

Justice Olusola Adeyemi of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan convicted and sentenced Ayobami and Adewale to six months of community service each and ordered that Ayobami restitute his victim, the sum N3.6million, being proceeds of his crime.

Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan convicted and sentenced Oladimeji to one  year imprisonment or to pay N50, 000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira) fine. He convicted and sentenced Olawale, Ayomide and Tunmise to six months community service each or to pay N250, 000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), N180, 000.00 (One Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira) and N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine respectively.

Also, he convicted and sentenced Patrick, Adabariki, Akinsola, Temilade, Samuel, Oluwatosin, Daniel and Afeez to three months of community service, each or to pay N50, 000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira) fine, each.

Justice U.E Maha of the Oyo State Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan convicted and sentenced Jeffery, Oladipupo and Olayinka to one year imprisonment each or to pay  N500, 000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, each. She further ordered Olayinka to pay the sum of N1, 150, 000.00 (One Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) as restitution to his victim.

On her part, Justice Uche Agomoh of the Oyo State Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan, slammed Babatunde and Ayomide with one year jail term and four months imprisonment on Akorede without an option of fine.

Justice K.B. Olawoyin of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan convicted and sentenced Abuchi, Israel, Temitayo, Victor and Oluwafemi to one year imprisonment each or to pay N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira), N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira), N500, 000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira), N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) and N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine respectively.

Justice O.A. Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan convicted and sentenced Opeyemi to one year of community service, Ubierowoh and Ishola to one month community service, each and Bidemi to two months of community service, without option of fine having remanded them in the Agodi Correctional Centre for two weeks after their arraignments. 

Justice Demi-Ajayi of the Osun State Federal High Court, Osogbo convicted and sentenced Adewale to two years imprisonment or to pay N1million fine while Seun bagged six months of community service without an option of fine.

Justice O.A. Olajide of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan convicted and sentenced Omefe to six months imprisonment or to pay N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine.

In addition to their sentences, all the convicts forfeited all items recovered from them, including one unregistered dark ash Toyota Avalon 2013 model car with Chassis Number: 4TIBKL1EBODU023730, a black Lexus ES 250 car with registration number: AGL – 840 – HK and a wine colour Lexus ES 330 car with registration number: KTU – 623 – GS.

The convicts’ journey to the correctional centre began with their arrest by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC following credible intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities.