- Operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 39 suspected internet fraudsters in Oyo State
- The alleged fraudsters all pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them, following which prosecution counsel reviewed the facts of the cases
- All the convicts began their journey to prison when they were arrested in a sting operation for fraudulent internet activities
Operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested 39 suspected internet fraudsters in Oyo State.
The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Ibadan, the state capital.
The suspects were prosecuted by Justices O.S. Adeyemi, Bayo Taiwo and Ladiran Akintola, all of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan.
Oyewale said they were prosecuted on a separate one-count charge each, bordering on impersonation, cheating, possession of fraudulent documents and obtaining by false pretence.
The convicts were Fasanya Gbolahan; Nkiri Destiny; Fakoya Samuel; Owolabi Damilare; Isiaka Adebayo; Olawoyin Olasunkanmi; Olawale Abideen; Olayiwola Waheed; Kehinde Abdulrauf; Okunlola Abidoun; Okunlola Mujeeb; Ademeso Olamide; Lawal Ridwan; Femi Oluremi; Ehinmowo Damilola; Joseph Justice; Enitan John; Kolawole Josaiah; Alo Emmanuel; Adetola Idris and Joshua Shiyanbola.
Others include Idowu David; Salau Ayomide; Adeyemi Adeleke; Philip Olatunde; Fasanya Tunde; Seun Babatunde; Ogoayo Sijuola; Akanji Bidoun; Quadri Oyindamola; Samuel Oluwatobi; Ogunyemi Opemiposi; Olabanjo Olatunbosun; Paul Uche; Ayomiposi Akinyimika; Abdullahi Adisa; Ajetunmobi Olashile; Oluwaseun Adeniran and Onah Ayomide.
The charge against Austine Ayomide reads, “That you, Ayomide ‘M’ on or about March 28, 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 committed 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 Ayomide to one year of community service or to pay a fine of N200,000; Tunde got a month jail term or to pay a fine of N250,000 while Abeeb Ayomide, Adeleke, Babatunde, Biodun, Oyindamola, Oluwatobi, Olatunbosun, Uche, Akinyimika, Adisa, Olashile and Adeniran bagged six months community service each and to pay N50, 000.00 each in addition to their sentence, besides Abeeb Ayomide who was slammed with N500, 000.00 in addition to his sentence.
He slammed Sijuola with one month of community service or to pay a fine of N100,000. 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.
He 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 bag 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 to pay fines of N25, 000.00 and N30, 000.00 respectively.
The convicts forfeited all items recovered from them to the Federal Government.
All the convicts began their journey to prison when they were arrested in a sting operation for fraudulent internet activities.
Money laundering will continue to weaken Nigeria, Interpol warns
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) had disclosed that Nigeria loses thousands of dollars to laundering every hour.
Interpol's vice president for Africa noted that Interpol had introduced silver notices to tackle the issue, warning that tough times await those engaged in money laundering.
