Justices Haleema Saleeman and Mahmud Abdulgafar of the
Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin have convicted and
sentenced six persons to jail for fraud.
The convicts are: Akingbehin Temitope Oluwaseyi,
Ajayi Elijah Olaoluwa, Samsom Babatunde Ilesanmi, Quadri Olamilekan Lamidi,
Kolawole Kehinde Moses and Olatunji Elija Olabisi.
They were prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal
Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on
multiple charges that bordered on retention of proceeds of criminal activities,
cheating, impersonation and internet fraud.
Oluwaseyi, (a 25-year-old car dealer), Olaoluwa,
Ilesanmi and Lamidi were dragged before Justice Saleeman while the
duo of Moses and Olabisi were prosecuted before Justice Abdulgafar.
The charge
against Oluwaseyi reads: “That you, Akingbehin Temitope
Oluwaseyi, sometime between 2021 and 2024 at Offa, within the
judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, did retain the control of the
gross sum of N2,707,562 (Two Million, Seven Hundred and Seven Thousand, Five
Hundred and Sixty-Two Naira) in your Opay account number 09064776590 being the
sum paid to you which you knew to be proceed of criminal conduct, thereby
committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) and (b) of
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004”
That of Ilesanmi reads: “That you, Samson
Babatunde Ilesanmi (a.k.a Angela Sara Maya) sometimes in 2023 within the
judicial division of the Kwara State High Court did cheat by
personation when you pretended to be one Angela Sara Maya vide Facebook
messenger account and induced one Larry Guerrero to part with the sum of $250
(Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars) thereby committed an offence contrary to and
punishable under Section 321 and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code
Laws of Northern Nigeria.”
They all pleaded “guilty” to the
charges when they were read to them, following
which prosecution counsel, Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja reviewed the
facts of the cases, presented witnesses and tendered the extra-judicial
statements of the defendants. They also tendered in evidence items
recovered from them at the point of arrest and the monetary proceeds
of their unlawful activities.
Satisfied that the cases against them
have been proven beyond every reasonable doubt, Justice Saleeman sentenced
Oluwaseyi to one year imprisonment on Count One or to
pay a fine of million naira and also a one
year imprisonment on Count Two or to pay a fine
of N707,562 (Seven Hundred and Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and
Sixty-two Naira). In addition, he forfeited his two phones,
being the tools of his crime and a Toyota Camry car, 2009 Model to the
federal government.
He committed Olaoluwa to one year imprisonment
or to pay a fine of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira). In
addition he forfeited his iPhone 13 Promax, being the tool of his
unlawful activities and the sum of $410 (Four Hundred and Ten United
States Dollars) to the federal government.
The judge handed four months prison term to
Ilesanmi or to pay a fine of N250,00 (Two Hundred and Fifty
Thousand Naira). In addition, he forfeited the sum of
$150 (One Hundred and Fifty Dollars) and his two phones, being the
tool of his crime to the federal government.
Lamidi got four months imprisonment
or to pay a fine of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Naira) on Count One; three months imprisonment or to pay
a fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira)
on Count Two and two months prison term or to pay
a fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand
Naira) on Count Three. The sentences run concurrently. In
addition, he forfeited the sum of €325 (Three Hundred and Twenty-five
Euros), $150 Canadian dollars and the two phones being instruments of
his crime to the federal government.
Similarly, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Moses to
three months suspended sentence
on Counts One and Two. In addition, he forfeited
the sum of N330,000 (Three Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira), $80 (Eighty
Dollars) and iPhone 12 Promax, being the tool of his crime to the federal
government.
The judge ordered Olabisi to pay up $25
(Twenty-five Dollars), being the balance of the restitution to be
paid from the proceeds of his criminal activity. In addition, he forfeited
the sum of $70 (Seventy Dollars) and his iPhone XR, being the
instrument of his criminal activities to the federal government.
All the convicts were arrested for internet
fraud. They were charged to court and convicted.
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