Justices Olusola Adetujoye, O.A. Lajide and S.O. Adeyemi of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan have convicted and sentenced 15 internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
They were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges upon their arraignment by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, between January 22 and February 5, 2024. One of the convicts, Adebola Sherrif was docked and convicted on five-count charges.
The other convicts are: Adebayo Ifeoluwa Timilehin, Philip Daniel, Ifemadi Haruna Segun, Okeola Olajide James Bolanle, Akinjisola Ayodeji Francis, Giwa Usman Dolapo, Olorunsola Sodiq Babatunde, Fatolu Moses Opeyemi, Bashiru Sodiq Omobolaji, Omowaye Oluwatosin Olamilekan, Badmus Yusuf Omobolaji, Lateef Ramon Olamilekan, Idowu Michael Oluwasegun and Okunola Samuel Olalekan.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Okunola Samuel Olalekan on or about 9th of April, 2023 at Ibadan, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intention to defraud Older One through the Google Chat Account: joyella5774@gmail.com, did falsely represent yourself to be Joy Ella, a female from United States of America, thereby committed the offence of impersonation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
Upon their arraignments, the convicts pleaded “guilty” when the charges were read to them. Consequently, the facts of the cases were reviewed and incriminating documents tendered in evidence before the courts, following which the prosecuting counsels urged the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
After listening to all the counsels, the judges convicted and sentenced Yusuf, Sodiq and Olamilekan to six months community service each, while Timilehin, Daniel, Segun, Bolanle, Ramon, Oluwasegun, Sherrif and Olalekan bagged one month community service each.
Opeyemi, Babatunde, Dolapo and Francis were handed two weeks community service each.
Yusuf was ordered to pay N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine in addition to his sentence, while Olamilekan was ordered to pay the sum of N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) and Sodiq to pay N170, 000.00 (One Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira) in addition to their sentence.
All the convicts were ordered to make restitution to their various victims and forfeited all items recovered from them to the federal government.
In a related development, the Oyo State Police Command has arrested and handed over to the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC, twin brothers, Abdulrauf Taiwo and Abdulrauf Kehinde for alleged internet fraud activities alongside five others comprising Adeyemi Samuel, Alabi Ayomide, Yekini Faroug, Hassan Olamilekan and Ibrahim Olawale.
Items recovered from the suspects include seven phones, among others.
They have made useful statements to the operatives of the Commission and would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.