The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentencing of 37 internet fraudsters before Justices Ladiran Akintola, O. Olajide, J. Adeyemi, Bayo Taiwo and M. Ishola of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan and Justice Uche Agomoh of a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State and Justices A. Babawale, A. Akinyemi and S. Adeniyi of the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta.
The convicts were arraigned between the months of November and December, 2023 on one- count separate charge each.
They convicts were Aladelusi Matthew, Akinade Oluwaseun, Gbenga Adebayo, Olaitan Josiah, Adegboyega Owolabi, Giwa Olakunle, Victor Damilare, Kelvin Udanyi, Ayeloja Oluwatobilola, Adebule Olamide, Olamilekan Adeniji, Agboola Taofeek, Ojo Oke, Abdulazeez Oludare, Oyewole Tolu, Okeowo Sunday, Oladokun Ayomide, Samuel Mayokun, Hamzat Opeyemi, Echeta Oluwambe, Mujeeb Adedeji, Eyinola Tosin and Makinde Bukola.
Others include Jubril Adeshina, Gbolahan Jayeola, Eyamekware Cleverly, Kazeem Oladimeji, Echeta Junior, Oyelakin Ayomide, Olanrewaju Olamilekan, Lasisi Idris, Emmanuel Matthew, Sonibare Wasiu, Makinde Feranmi, Timileyin Toyosi, Adeyinka Oladaride and Ubiwe Kenneth.
One of the counts read: “That you Oyelakin Ayomide on or about June 2, 2023, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this court, with intent to defraud, did sell hacked Facebook Accounts with different identity cards to internet fraudsters, thereby aiding them in committing an offence, aiding another person in committing, an offence contrary to Sections 7 (c) and 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 30, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
Another count charge reads, “That you Eyamekware Cleverly on or about April, 2023 at Ibadan, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this court, with intent to defraud one Lukas Wack, did falsely represent yourself to be a white lady who goes by the name Elmar Bockmar, thereby committed an offence of Personation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
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Upon their arraignments, they all pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them.
Consequently, facts of the cases were reviewed, several indicting documents and exhibits were tendered as evidences in the courts, urging the courts to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
The courts convicted and sentenced Owolabi, Olamide, Taofeek, Oke, Oludare, Tolu, Sunday and Feranmi to one year imprisonment each, Tosin to one month community service, while Idris and Toyosi bagged two months community service each and Josiah, Ayomide, Oladimeji, Matthew and Kenneth got three months community service each.
Also, Aladelusi, Oluwaseun, Adebayo, Olakunle, Damilare, Udanyi, Oluwatobilola, Adeniji, Mayokun, Opeyemi, Oluwambe, Adedeji, Bukola, Adeshina, Jayeola, Cleverly, Junior, Oladokun, Olamilekan, Wasiu and Oladaride were convicted and sentenced to six months community service each.
Furthermore, the convicts were ordered to restitute their various victims and forfeit all items recovered from them, including seven exotic cars to the Federal Government.
They all began their journey to prison when they were arrested by operatives of the EFCC for internet-related offences.
They were also investigated, prosecuted and got convicted for their various offences.
