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.
The convicts were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges following their arraignment by 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 Timilehin, Philip Daniel, Ifemadi Segun, Okeola Bolanle, Akinjisola Francis, Giwa Dolapo, Olorunsola Babatunde, Fatolu Opeyemi, Bashiru Omobolaji, Omowaye Olamilekan, Badmus Omobolaji, Lateef Olamilekan, Idowu Oluwasegun and Okunola Olalekan.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Okunola Olalekan on or about April 9, 2023, at Ibadan, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this 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.”
Following their arraignments, the convicts pleaded “guilty” when the charges were read to them.
The facts of the cases were reviewed and incriminating documents tendered in evidence before the courts, following which the prosecuting counsel urged the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
After listening to all the counsel, 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 fine in addition to his sentence, while Olamilekan was ordered to pay the sum of N200,000 and Sodiq to pay N170, 000 in addition to their sentence.
The convicts were ordered to make restitution to their various victims and forfeited all items recovered from them to the Federal Fovernment.
In a related development, the Oyo State Police Command has arrested and handed over to 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.
