Court jails six for internet fraud in Ilorin
By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin
Justices Haleema Saleeman and Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin, have convicted and sentenced six individuals to jail for internet fraud.
The convicts are Akingbehin Temitope Oluwaseyi, Ajayi Elijah Olaoluwa, Samson Babatunde Ilesanmi, Quadri Olamilekan Lamidi, Kolawole Kehinde Moses, and Olatunji Elijah Olabisi.
They were prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on multiple charges, including retention of proceeds of criminal activities, cheating, impersonation, and internet fraud.
Oluwaseyi (a 25-year-old car dealer), Olaoluwa, Ilesanmi, and Lamidi were arraigned before Justice Saleeman, while Moses and Olabisi were prosecuted before Justice Abdulgafar.
The charge against Oluwaseyi reads:
“That you, Akingbehin Temitope Oluwaseyi, sometime between 2021 and 2024 at Offa, within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, did retain the gross sum of N2,707,562 (Two Million, Seven Hundred and Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-Two Naira) in your Opay account number 09064776590, being proceeds of criminal conduct, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) and (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.”
For Ilesanmi, the charge states:
“That you, Samson Babatunde Ilesanmi (a.k.a Angela Sara Maya), sometime in 2023, within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, did cheat by personation when you pretended to be one Angela Sara Maya via a Facebook Messenger account and induced one Larry Guerrero to part with $250 (Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars), thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 321 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.”
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges. Following this, prosecution counsel Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja reviewed the case facts, presented witnesses, and tendered the defendants’ extra-judicial statements. Items recovered during their arrests and the monetary proceeds of their unlawful activities were also presented as evidence.
Justice Saleeman sentenced Oluwaseyi to one year imprisonment on Count One or a fine of N1 million and one year imprisonment on Count Two or a fine of N707,562. He also forfeited two phones and a 2009 Toyota Camry car to the federal government.
Olaoluwa received a one-year prison sentence or a fine of N500,000. He forfeited his iPhone 13 Pro Max and $410 to the federal government.
Ilesanmi was sentenced to four months imprisonment or a fine of N250,000. He forfeited $150 and two phones to the federal government.
Lamidi was sentenced to four months imprisonment or a fine of N150,000 on Count One, three months imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 on Count Two, and two months imprisonment or a fine of N50,000 on Count Three. The sentences run concurrently. He also forfeited €325, 150 Canadian dollars, and two phones to the federal government.
Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Moses to a three-month suspended sentence on Counts One and Two. He forfeited N330,000, $80, and an iPhone 12 Pro Max to the federal government.
Olabisi was ordered to pay $25 as the balance of restitution. He forfeited $70 and an iPhone XR to the federal government.
All six individuals were arrested for internet fraud, charged, and subsequently convicted.
