Mechanic Bags 12-month Imprisonment For Cybercrime In Kwara

Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, on Thursday, sentenced a 27-year-old mechanic, Adebayo Bolaji, to 12-month imprisonment, having found him guilty of offences bordering on cybercrime and possession of fraudulent funds.

Adebayo was arraigned on a two-count charge before the court on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Adebayo’s journey to a Correctional Centre started on September 15, 2022 when the EFCC acting on intelligence about the activities of some internet fraudsters operating along Airport Road, Ilorin, effected his arrest.

“That you, Adebayo Muhamed Bolaji, sometime in the month of September 2021 and September 2022 in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court knowingly had under your control the sum of N3, 200,000 through your bank account number 2011025023 domiciled with Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd, reasonably suspected to be have been unlawfully obtained and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 319A of the Penal Code,” count-two of the offences levelled against the convict read.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and relying on the guilty plea by the defendant, his confessional statement and the uncontroverted evidence of the prosecution, Justice Abdulgafar convicted and slammed Adebayo with six months suspended sentence on counts one and two each, to run concurrently.

The judge also ordered that the convict’s Toyota Camry, one iPhone 13 and the sum of $520 which he brought as restitution be forfeited to the federal government.