Courts Jail 10 For Internet Fraud In Kwara

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of ten (10) internet fraudsters to various jail terms.

Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, had on Monday convicted and sentenced five persons to various jail terms.

The convicts are Sodiq Shehu, Ayinla Ayomide, Abdulkareem Omotosho, Ekundayo Samuel and Ayinla Abayomi.

The charge against Ayomide reads:
“That you, Ayinla Abdulwaheed Ayomide whilst a PICKER between January 2022 and August 2023 at Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession of the sum of N5,373,000.00 transferred into your Zenith Bank account number: 2400818519 and FCMB Bank Account No: 4883945011 and which sum you knew directly represented the proceeds of crime of some persons, vz; Oluwatobi John, Akeem Adedeji, Adeleke Adedeji, e.t.c and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) & (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004”

The defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges when they were read to them, following which the Prosecution Counsel, Innocent Mbachie, prayed the court to convict and sentence them.

Consequently, Justice Anyadike sentenced Shehu to four months imprisonment with an option to pay N200, 000 as fine on each count.

Similarly, Ayomide, Omotosho, Samuel and Abayomi were sentenced to 12 months imprisonment each with varying option of fine between N200, 000 and N300, 000.

The court also ordered that all the phones and laptops that were used by the convicts to perpetrate the crime and various sums of money brought by them as restitution be forfeited to the Federal Government.

In a similar fashion, Justices Adebayo Yusuf and Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, and Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court in Ilorin at separate sittings on Tuesday, June 26, 2024, convicted another set of five suspected internet fraudsters to various jail terms.

They are Evugbemu Emmanuel, Osi Ayomide, Alade Abiodun, Adegoke Gbolahan and Shehu Bukola.

The charge against Evugbemu Emoefe Emmanuel reads:
“That you, Evugbemu Emoefe Emmanuel (Alias: Lilian Trejo) sometime between November 2023 and April 2024 at Ilorin, within the judicial division of the High Court, did cheat by personation when you pretended to be one Lilian Trejo vide your Facebook messenger account and induced one Carl Perez to part with the sum of $1,300 through Cash App and Gift cards thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Law and Punishable under Section 324 of the same law.”

They pleaded guilty to their charges when they were read to them, following which EFCC Counsel, Innocent Mbachie, Andrew Akoja and Mustapha Kaigama prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

The Justices, in their separate judgment, convicted and sentenced them to various jail terms.

Justice Yusuf sentenced Emmanuel to six months imprisonment without an option of fine and ordered that the sum of $1,300 which was recovered from him as well as his phone and laptop be forfeited to the Federal Government.

The Judge also sentenced Abiodun to six months imprisonment with an option of N200, 000 fine, while Shittu bagged two years imprisonment with an option of N300, 000 as fine.

The court also ordered that the phones used as an instrument of the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.

Similarly, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Bukola to six months imprisonment with an option of N200, 000 as fine, and ordered the forfeiture of the sum of $150 and the phone used by the convict to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.

Justice Anyadike, in the same vein, sentenced Gbolahan to 6 months imprisonment each on the two counts brought against him with an option of N100, 000 on each count.

The court also ordered that the convict’s iPhone 12, Samsung Galaxy S8, and MacBook laptop be forfeited to the Federal Government.