Court jails three internet fraudsters in Kwara
By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin
Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, convicted and sentenced Ibrahim Ajisafe Oladimeji, Hassan Abdulmalik Temitope, and Babatunde David Olusegun for internet fraud.
The trio was prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate charges bordering on impersonation and cybercrime.
The charge against Temitope reads:
“That you, Hassan Abdulmalik Temitope (alias: Jane), sometime in 2024, within the Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, did fraudulently impersonate one Jane via a Backpage account you created, with the intent to obtain and did obtain from one John Gary the gross sum of $2,500 (Two Thousand Five Hundred US Dollars), and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”
They all pleaded “guilty” to the charges when read to them. Following this, prosecution counsel Rashidat Alao presented witnesses to review the facts of the cases. She also tendered their extra-judicial statements and items recovered at the time of arrest, urging the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Awogboro sentenced Oladimeji to 150 hours of community service on each of his charges, to be served at five hours per day, without an option of fine. He also forfeited his iPhone 12 Pro, used in committing the crime, and the sum of $100—being the proceeds of the crime—to the Federal Government.
Temitope was sentenced to 700 hours of community service, also at five hours per day without an option of fine. In addition, he forfeited his iPhone 12 and a 2009 Toyota Camry—both classified as tools and proceeds of crime—to the Federal Government.
Olusegun was sentenced to 150 hours of community service at five hours per day without an option of fine. He also forfeited his iPhone 12 and the sum of $75, being proceeds of the crime, to the Federal Government.
