Ilorin court sentences BDC operator, fraudster to 300 hours community service
By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin
Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Ilorin has sentenced Musa Buba to 300 hours of community service for operating a bureau de change business without a valid license. The sentence, to be served at a rate of five hours per day, carries no option of a fine.
Similarly, the judge sentenced Akinwale Olamilekan from Owena Ijesha in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State to 300 hours of community service for cybercrime, also without an option of a fine.
The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned both Musa and Akinwale on separate charges before the court on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
The charge against Musa Buba stated that he operated an unlicensed bureau de change at Chikanda Market, Yashikira District, Baruten Local Government Area, Kwara State, in July 2024. His actions violated Section 57(1) & (2) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020, and were punishable under Section 57(5)(b) of the same Act.
Akinwale Olamilekan was charged with fraudulently impersonating one Mary Williams via his iMessage account in November 2024 to obtain $950 from a victim, Mark Durham. His actions contravened Section 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act and were punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
After reviewing the evidence presented by the prosecution, led by Andrew Akoja, and considering the defendants’ guilty pleas, Justice Awogboro convicted and sentenced them accordingly.
In addition to the sentence, the court ordered Musa Buba to forfeit 409,500 CFA and N1,973,200 recovered from him at the time of his arrest to the Federal Government.
Similarly, Akinwale was ordered to forfeit $450, which he had restituted, along with an iPhone 12 Pro Max used in committing the crime, to the Federal Government.
