Kwara Courts Convict Six Fraudsters For Cybercrime

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday secured the conviction of six persons charged for various offences bordering on cyber fraud in different High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.

Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court and Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court both sitting in Ilorin convicted and sentenced the fraudsters to various terms of imprisonment.

The convicts include Akibu Oluwadamilola from Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State; Animasahaun Ahmed from Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State; Hammed Opeyemi who resides in Atari Area of Offa, Kwara State; Ibitowa Toheeb Abolayo from Ejigbo Local Government Area of Osun State; Salaudeen Muritala and Olagoke Hammed from Modakeke in Ife North Local Government Area office, Osun State.

The EFCC prosecuted five of the defendants before Justice Sani, while only Olagoke was tried before Justice Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin.

The defendants, who were arraigned on separate charges before the courts pleaded guilty to their respective charges.

Following their pleas, counsel to the EFCC in the matter, Aliyu Adebayo, Sesan Ola, Andrew Akoja, and Rasheedat Alao who reviewed the facts of the cases and tendered extra-judicial statements of the defendants, phones, laptops, cars, and fraudulent messages printed from their device, which were admitted in evidence.

The counsel urged the court to consider the proof of evidence, plea of guilt entered by the defendants, and hold that the prosecution had established a prima-facie case against the defendants. They prayed to the court to convict them as charged.

In their separate judgments on the cases, Justice Sani and Akinpelu agreed that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The Justices found each of the defendants guilty of their respective charges.

Justice Sani sentenced Akibu to one-year imprisonment each on counts one and two, which would run concurrently with option of fine of N200,000 fine on each count.

The Judge ordered that one Toyota Camry Car, iPhone 6 plus, HP laptop, and monies which are proceeds of the illegal activities in his bank accounts be forfeited to the Federal Government.

The Judge sentenced Animashaun to three-year imprisonment on count one with an option of fine of N59,900 and three-year imprisonment on count two with an option of fine of N584,700 only.

The court also ordered that one iPhone 12 which was used to perpetrate the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.

Hammed bagged a prison term of one-year imprisonment each on counts one, two, and three which would run concurrently with an option of fine of N100,000 on each count.

The convict was ordered to raise the sum of $130 (One Hundred and Thirty Dollars) as restitution, while his iPhone X would be forfeited to the Federal Government.

In the same vein, Justice Sani sentenced Ibitowa to one-year imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000.

The judge ordered the forfeiture of one iPhone X used by the convict to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.

The judge sentenced Salaudeen to one-year imprisonment each on counts one and two with an option of fine of N100,000 on each count.

The court ordered the forfeiture of one Toyota Camry Car and iPhone 11 Promax to the Federal Government.

For Olagoke, Justice Akinpelu pronounced a prison term of six years each on counts one and two with an option of fine of N150,000 on each count.

The judge also ordered that one Honda Accord Car, iPhone 11 Promax, and the sum of N1,913,432.75 domiciled in the convict’s Keystone bank account be forfeited to the Federal Government.

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