Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High
Court, Ilorin has convicted and sentenced a truck driver,
Olamilekan Basit to one year imprisonment for being
in possession of solid minerals without lawful authorisation.
Olamilekan was arrested in Balla, Asa Local
Government Area of Kwara State for unlawfully transporting 30 tons of
assorted solid minerals without proper authorization.
Also convicted and sentenced by the
judge is a 25-year-old professional photographer, Oyerinde Gbolahan
Sodiq, who bagged three hundred hours community service at five hours per day
for offences that border on internet fraud. Also convicted
by the same judge are Ibrahim Ismail Aranfajo, a phone seller.
Maruf Ridwan Babawale was convicted and sentenced
by Justice Haleema Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin.
The conviction and sentencing of the defendants
followed their arraignment by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate charges.
The charge against Basit reads: "That you,
Olamilekan Basit on or about the 11th Day of June 2024. at Balla, ASA Local
Government Area of Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable
Court, without lawful authority, came into possession of minerals to wit:
Thirty tons of minerals, conveyed in a Truck, with offence, contrary to and
punishable under Section 134 (b) of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act,
2007"
That of Sodiq reads: "That you, Oyerinde
Gbolahan Sodiq, on or about the the 6th day of August 2024 to 17th February
2025 in Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court,
fraudulently impersonated one Vickie Mary with intent to gain advantage for
yourself from I've Canner, whom you chatted with via your telegram Account
number +12136826219, and did gain $550; you thereby committed an offence
contrary to section 22 (2) (I) of the cybercrime (prohibition prevention,Etc.)
Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b)(IV) of the same Act"
They all pleaded “guilty” to their charges,
following which prosecution counsel, Rashidat Alao and Mustapha
Kaigama reviewed the facts of the cases by calling witnesses who narrated the
circumstances that led to their arrests, tendered exhibits recovered from
them and urged the court to consider the facts of the cases and
convict and sentence the defendants as charged.
Justice Awogboro sentenced Basit to one year
imprisonment or to pay a N1million fine. In addition, he is to
pay the sum of N5million as royalty to the federal government.
He sentenced Sodiq to 300
hours of community service at five hours per day without an option of
fine. In addition, he forfeited the sum of $300 (Three
Hundred United States Dollars), being part of the proceeds of his
crime and his iPhone 12 Promax being the tool of his
crime to the federal government. He was also ordered to pay
$200 (Two Hundred United States Dollars), being the remainder of
the proceeds of his crime or spend two months in prison
after the completion of his community service.
He convicted and sentenced Aranfajo to 300
hours of community service at five hours per day without an option of
fine. In addition, he forfeited his iPhone 6x to the federal
government, while Justice Saleeman sentenced Maruf to six months
imprisonment or to pay N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand
Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited his iPhone 11 Pro to
the federal government, and to restitute the sum of $300 (Three
Hundred United States Dollars) to his victim.
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