The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the conviction and sentencing of 36 internet fraudsters to various jail terms on Friday. The convictions were handed down by Justices Uche Agomoh and E.U. Akpan of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, and Justices Ladiran Akintola, K.B. Olawoyin, Bayo Taiwo, and O.S. Adeyemi of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan.
This was announced in a statement by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity for the EFCC, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The convicted individuals include Ayodele Ayodeji, Adebayo Akanbi, Ajayi Temitayo, Rokeeb Taiwo, Olaleye Emmanuel, Emiade Ayotunde, Azeez Ademola, Afolabi Akinbobola, Shittu Adeleke, Franklyn Kelechi, Olanrewaju Olaitan Quadri, Olawale Elijah Seyi Awofolaju, Samuel Olayemi Ademeso, Akindele Timothy Olatunde, Sholeye Gideon Olamilekan, Waheed Olamide Ahmod, Lawal Paul Jelili, Asaju Muhammad Numan, and Badejo Adefemi Emmanuel.
Others are Gomina Dennis Ozaveshe, Adio Hassan Taiwo, Adio Kehinde Hozaine, Adewunmi Adeboye Gabriel, John Moses, Odeniyi Idowu, Owodunni Abiodun, Sanwiyu Owonifari, Adeyinka Olujobi, Ogunbiyi Joseph, Ayomide Oluwatosin, Badmus Kayode, Jimoh Enahoro, Azeta Osaremeh, Lukuman Olatemo, Emmanuel Ogah, and Ayomide Ishola.
Ayomide Ishola’s charge reads: “That you, Ayomide Ishola, on or about October 2018, in Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, falsely represented yourself as a female from the United States of America with the name Lawrence Janet to one Ralph Wells via your Google Chat account, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of impersonation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
The fraudsters were jailed after pleading guilty to charges of obtaining by false pretense, possession of fraudulent documents, impersonation, and aiding in committing offences. These charges were brought by the EFCC’s Ibadan zonal command between April 24 and May 29, 2024.
Prosecution counsel Oluwatoyin Owodunni, Modupe Akinkoye, Oyelakin Oyediran, Sanusi Galadanchi, Lanre Suleiman, Mabas Mabur, Shamsuddeen Umar Abiso, Abiddeen Muhammad, Adamu Sahabi, Fatima Baba, David Olubode, and Favour Adewunmi presented the cases, leading to the following sentences:
– Justice Agomoh:
– Joseph, Oluwatosin, Kayode: 1-year imprisonment each (no option of fine)
– Enahoro: 10 months imprisonment
– Osaremeh: 6 months imprisonment
– Olatemo: 4 months imprisonment
– Justice Akpan:
– Owonifari: 1.5 years imprisonment
– Abiodun: 1 year imprisonment or a fine of N100,000
– Justice Olawoyin:
– Ishola: 1.5 years imprisonment or a fine of N1,500,000
– Olujobi: 6 months imprisonment or a fine of N400,000
– Justice Adeyemi:
– Hozaine, Gabriel, Idowu, Ogah: 6 months of community service each (no option of fine)
– Idowu forfeited a silver-colored Toyota Camry car
– Justice Taiwo:
– Ozaveshe: 4 months community service or a fine of N150,000
– Taiwo: 5 months community service or a fine of N150,000
– Justice Akintola:
– Adedolapo Emmanuel, Ayotunde, Ademola, Kelechi, Quadri, Moses: 1-year imprisonment each or fines of N50,000, N100,000, N20,000, N30,000, N150,000, N120,000, respectively
– Olamide Taiwo, Akinbobola, Adefemi Emmanuel: 6 months of community service each or fines of N50,000, N150,000, N60,000, respectively
– Ayodeji, Akanbi, Adeleke: 3 months of community service each or a fine of N20,000 each
– Temitayo, Awofolaju, Jelili: 3 months of community service each or a fine of N30,000 each
– Olamilekan, Ahmod, Numan: 3 months of community service each or a fine of N25,000 each
– Ademeso: 3 months of community service or a fine of N50,000
– Olatunde: 3 months of community service or a fine of N40,000
Additionally, several convicts forfeited vehicles to the Federal Government:
– Ayotunde: Black Lexus ES 350
– Quadri: Brown ES 300
– Moses: Toyota Camry
– Adefemi Emmanuel: Grey Lexus RX 300
– Abiodun: Brown Mercedes Benz
– Ishola: Grey Toyota Highlander
– Enahoro: Ash-colored Toyota Camry
– Osaremeh: Silver Honda Accord
