Ogun and Oyo State High Courts and a Federal High Court have convicted and sentenced to various jail terms, 33 internet fraudsters who were prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The convicts were jailed by Justices Ladiran Akintola, Adebukola Olajide and M. Ishola of Oyo State High Court, Ibadan; Justice B. Adebowale of the Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta and Justice Uche Agomoh of a Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State.
They were arraigned on one-count separate charges bordering on cyber crimes.
Those convicted include Amos Taiwo, Fatai Mayowa, Lateef Aremu, Abiona Solomon, Olamijulo Kayode, Abulele Ogbemudia, Owolade Ayoola, Odesanya Adedimeji, Oyedele Sunday, John Olasupo, Toriola Alabi, Nafiu Ayomide, Adewale Mumeen, Azeez Olanrewaju, Olamilekan Olonitola, Okeke Obinna, Quzeem Opeyemi Tajudeen, Theophilus Iroboudu Onoapor and Olanrewaju Muhammed Opeyemi.
Others are: Oladokun Abeeb Olaide, Precious Akinwale Balogun, Adebari Sodiq Wemimo, Ogunleye Ridwan Babatunde, Akinrinola Emmanuel Pelumi, Odigwe Victory Okwise, Seyitan David Ojo, Oyinwola Micheal Olakunle, Adewale Adegoke, Odunton Oluwaseyi, Opaleye Olanrewaju, Tolulope Asekoni, Oyewole David and Asogbon Tobiloba.
The lone-count separate charge reads: “That you, Opaleye Olanrewaju ‘M’ on or about February 4, 2020, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this court, with intent to defraud one Micheal via your instagram account Catherine falsely represented yourself as Catherine a white woman from the United States of America which representation you knew to be false, thereby committed the offence of Personation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
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They all pleaded “guilty” to the charge when it was read to them.
Consequently, prosecution counsels tendered facts of the cases and indicting documents before the courts. They also prayed the courts to convict and sentence the defendants as charged.
The judges, after listening to the prayers of parties, convicted and sentenced the defendants accordingly.
Taiwo was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, Olasupo and Babatunde to one year jail term each.
Also, Aremu, Solomon, Adedimeji, Sunday, Alabi, Ayomide, Mumeen, Olanrewaju, Olonitola, Obinna, Tajudeen, Onoapor, Opeyemi, Wemimo, Pelumi, Okwise, Olakunle, Adegoke, Oluwaseyi, Olanrewaju, Asekoni, David and Tobiloba bagged six months community service each.
Mayowa was sentenced to eight months community service while Kayode, Ogbemudia, Olaide, Balogun and Ojo bagged three months community service each and Ayoola to two months community service.
The courts ordered that the convicts restitute their various victims, and forfeit all items recovered from them to the Federal Government, including eight exotic vehicles.
All the 33 convicts were arrested in various locations in Oyo and Ogun states by operatives of the EFCC.
Investigations showed that they were involved in different cases of internet-related crimes. They were subsequently charged to court and convicted.
