Kwara Courts Jail Four for Internet Fraud

Justices Mahmud Abdulgafar and Sulaiman Akanbi of the Kwara State High Courts on Monday, July 14, 2025 convicted and sentenced Olaitan Abdulwahab Damilare, Maruf Quadri Kolawole, Habeeb Abiodun Jimoh, and Mubarak Moruf to jail for fraud.

They were prosecuted by Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate charges that border on cheating, impersonation and obtaining under false pretences.

While Damilare, Kolawole, and Jimoh were prosecuted before Justice Abdulgafar, Moruf was prosecuted before Justice Sulaiman Akanbi.

The charge against Damilare reads: “That you, Olaitan Abdulwahab Damilare (a.k.a Fav), sometime in January, 2024 or thereabout at Ilorin, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly induced one Michael, a white man to send you gift cards worth the sum of Two Thousand, One Hundred Dollars when you knowingly pretended and presented yourself to be Fav, a white lady who is in a romantic relationship with him and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 and punishable under Section 324 of The Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria."

That of Kolawole reads: "That you, Maruf Quadri Kolawole, sometime in February 2025, in Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did cheat by impersonation when you pretended to be one Frank Matt via Facebook, and in that guise, induced Philip Solomon to send 950 Australian dollars to you, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Law and punishable under Section 324 of the same Law"

 They all pleaded “guilty” to their respective charge, following which prosecution counsel, Aliyu Adebayo and Mustapha Kaigama called witnesses and reviewed the facts of the cases. They tendered the extra-judicial statements of the convicts and exhibits recovered from them at the point of arrest as well as various amounts of money, being the proceeds of their crime in evidence. 

Justice Abdulgafar convicted and sentenced Damilare to six months imprisonment. In addition, he forfeited the $2000 (Two Thousand United States Dollars), iPhone XR and a Samsung phone, being the proceeds and tools of his crime, respectively to the federal government.

He convicted and sentenced Kolawole to six months imprisonment. In addition, he forfeited his iPhone 13 Pro and $950, being the tool and proceeds of his crime, respectively to the federal government. 

He also convicted and sentenced Habeeb to six months imprisonment. In addition, he forfeited his iPhone 14 Pro Max, an HP laptop computer, and $365, being the tools and proceeds of his crime, respectively to the federal government.

Justice Akanbi convicted and sentenced Moruf to one year imprisonment or to pay N400,000 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira), fine. In addition, he forfeited his iPhone 15 Promax, iPhone 7 and the sum of $300 (Three Hundred United States Dollars.), being the tools and proceeds of his crime, respectively to the federal government.