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.
