The Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of 39 internet fraudsters.
Justices O.S. Adeyemi, Bayo Taiwo and Ladiran Akintola, all of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan handed the various jail terms to the convicts on a separate one-count charges each, bordering on impersonation, cheating, possession of fraudulent documents and obtaining by false pretence.
The convicts include Fasanya Abdulqudus Gbolahan, Nkiri Oluchukwu Destiny, Fakoya Tobi Samuel, Owolabi Qudus Damilare, Isiaka Olajide Adebayo, Olawoyin Wasiu Olasunkanmi, Olawale Owolabi Abideen, Olayiwola Tunde Waheed, Kehinde Pelumi Abdulrauf and Okunlola Taoreed Abidoun.
Others are Okunlola Dolapo Mujeeb, Ademeso Raphael Olamide, Lawal Olajuwon Ridwan, Femi Dogo Oluremi, Ehinmowo Jeremiah Damilola, Joseph Isaac Justice, Enitan Tolulope John, Kolawole Toluwani Josaiah, Alo Ayokunnumi Emmanuel, Adetola Opeyemi Idris and Joshua Imole Shiyanbola.
Also convicted are Idowu Ezekiel David, Salau Abeeb Ayomide, Adeyemi Samuel Adeleke, Philip Olabode Olatunde, Fasanya Gbenga Tunde, Seun Ayomide Babatunde, Ogoayo Alabi Sijuola, Akanji Timothy Bidoun, Quadri Salami Oyindamola, Samuel Adeyemi Oluwatobi and Ogunyemi Gbolahan Opemiposi.
The rest include Olabanjo Oluwafemi Olatunbosun, Paul Nneji Uche, Ayomiposi Clement Akinyimika, Abdullahi Mustapha Adisa, Ajetunmobi Azeez Olashile, Oluwaseun Adeyeye Adeniran and Onah Austine Ayomide.
The charge against Austine Ayomide reads: “That you, Onah Austine Ayomide ‘M’ on or about 28th March 2024, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated by representing yourself to be a white woman by the name Linda Mary from United States of America, through your Facebook account (Linda Mary) to one Clifton Deininger, from United States of America, with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby commited an offence of personation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
They all pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them, following which prosecution counsel reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered incriminating documents and prayed the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Adeyemi convicted and sentenced Austin Ayomide to one-year community service or to pay a fine of N200, 000.00; Tunde for his part got a one-month jail term or payment of N250, 000.00 fine while Abeeb Ayomide, Adeleke, Babatunde, Biodun, Oyindamola, Oluwatobi, Olatunbosun, Uche, Akinyimika, Adisa, Olashile and Adeniran bagged six months community service each and N50, 000.00 fine each in addition to their sentence, besides Abeeb Ayomide who was slammed with N500, 000.00 in addition to his sentence.
The court slammed Sijuola with one month of community service or payment of a N100,000 fine; Olatunde and Opemiposi were handed three months of community service without an option of a fine.
Justice Taiwo on his part, convicted and sentenced Taoreed Abidoun to three months imprisonment, and Mujeeb to four months jail term, while Olasunkanmi and Abideen bagged six months community service each and were further ordered to pay a fine of N150,000.00 each in addition their sentences.
The Judge also convicted and sentenced Gbolahan, Damilare, Adebayo and Abdulrauf to five months of community service each and gave the latter a fine option of N100,000.
Waheed and Samuel got four months of community service, and a fine of N100,000.00 while Destiny bagged two months of community service.
Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Olamide, Oluremi, Damilola, Justice, Josaiah, Emmanuel and Shiyanbola to a one-year jail term each or to pay a fine of N30, 000.00, N50, 000.00, N75, 000.00, N75, 000.00, N50, 000.00, N120, 000.00 and N100, 000.00 respectively.
Damilola forfeited a green-coloured Nissan Micra car with registration number LSD – 464 – GU with Chassis Number: SJNFBAK11U3001751; Emmanuel forfeited a black-coloured Lexus IS 250 car with registration number MUS – 158 – JHS and Justice forfeited a black-coloured Toyota Corolla car with registration number FST – 607 – GN.
Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Idris and David to six months of community service each or to pay fines of N60,000.00 and N150, 000.00 respectively.
Ridwan and John bagged three months of community service each or payment of N25,000.00 and N30,000.00 fines respectively.
The court ordered the forfeiture of all items recovered from the convicts to the Federal Government.
All the convicts began their journey to correctional facilities following their arrest in a sting operation for fraudulent internet activities by the anti-corruption agency.
