A Federal High Court and five State High Courts have sentenced no fewer than 59 internet fraudsters to various jail terms.

The convicts are Adekola Mohammed Bidemi, Raheem Toheeb Olalekan, Nduneri Kelvin Precious, Adekola Akinsola Iyanuoluwa, Adegoke Tomiwa Olalekan, Akintade Isaac Temitayo, Olaolu Abdulsomad Olamide, Akanni Oluwapelumi Anuoluwapo, Omogbolahan Arikuyeri Joseph, Adedimeji Olaitan Ojo, Jamal Olawale Hamzat, Ajana Abidemi Oluwapelumi, Jamiu Quadri Abayomi, Isaac Adejare Moses, Bamidele Williams, Olafisoye Oluwatobi Opeyemi, Alex Mayowa Precious, Olajide Deji Emmanuel, Folayan Temitayo Oluwajuwon, Kolade Paul Olaseinde, Eniola Lazeez, Ayeni Bisola Charles, Owoyemi James Abidemi, and Hammed Akolawole Yakubu.

Others include Sunmonu Sheriff Olabanji, Michael Blessing Seyi, Adebayo Babatunde Benedict, Afeez Oluwaseun Abdulwahab, Azeez Folorunso Akinremi, Ariku Victor Olawande, Fapetu Daniel Temitope, Owoyemi Kayode Ayobami, Adekunle Toluwanimi Micheal, Idowu Mayowa Victor, Olaoluwa Posi Ejisun Kehinde, Olawale Ibrahim Boluwatife, Oreoluwa Oyeyemi Oladipo, Ayomide Sunday Owoshakin, Aare Sodiq Olanrewaju, Waheed Abeeb Olamilekan, Oluwatunbosun Stephen Fafore, Alamu David Dolapo, and Ridwan Olabisi Onifade.

Other convicts are Osifeso Tijesunimi David, Ogunrinde Taiwo Oluwaseun, Ogunrinde Idowu Ebenezer, Ayoola Olayinka Gaffar, Sodiq Alamu Olumide, Adegoke Idowu Oluwaseun, Adebayo Daniel Sunday, Olabode Samson Opeyemi, Alade Kehinde Matthew, Folaranmi Olukorede Martins, Akinola Bolarinwa, Abimbola Ayodele Olajide, Adekunle Iyanuoluwa Ayomide, Akinyemi Olalekan Opeyemi, Job Innocent, and Okoro Justine Uzoma.

The internet fraudsters were prosecuted by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on one-count separate charges bordering on impersonation, cheating, possession of fraudulent documents and obtaining by false pretence.

One of the charges read: “That you, Okoro Justine Uzoma sometime in February 2023, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated by representing yourself to be a female as Cory Spencer Smith from the United States of America to one Collette, by creating a fake Facebook account with intent to gain an advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i)  and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) (Amended) Act, 2024.”

They all pleaded “guilty” to their charges when they were read to them, upon which prosecution counsels – Oluwatoyin Owodunni, Modupe Akinkoye, Oyelakin Oyediran, Sanusi Galadanchi, Lanre Suleiman, Mabas Mabur, Shamsuddeen, Umar Abiso, Abiddeen Muhammad, Adamu Sahabi, Fatima Baba, David Olubode, and Favour Adewunmi – prayed the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.

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Justice M. Salisu of the Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo, the state capital, convicted and sentenced Temitayo and Olamide to one year imprisonment each with a fine option of N1 million each.

Temitayo, according to a statement issued by the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, on Thursday, August 8, 2024, forfeited one grey Toyota Camry 2007 Model car, while Olamide forfeited N1, 450,000 and a grey colour Toyota Camry 2011 Model car.

Justice Salisu also convicted and sentenced Akinsola Iyanuoluwa, Tomiwa Olalekan and Toheeb Olalekan to one year imprisonment each or a fine of N500,000.

Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo convicted and sentenced Oluwajuwon, Olaseinde, Lazeez, Charles, Abidemi, Yakubu, Olabanji, Seyi, Benedict, Abdulwahab, Olawande, Daniel Temitope, Ayobami, and Toluwanimi Micheal to six months imprisonment each, with a fine option ranging from N200,000 to N500,000.

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Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, the state capital, equally convicted and sentenced Onifade to one year imprisonment with a fine option of N100,000 and forfeited a grey-coloured Toyota Rav4 Sports Utility Vehicle while Owoshakin bagged six months jail term or a fine N100,000.

Justice Bayo Taiwo of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan convicted and sentenced Idowu Oluwaseun to five months community service, Olumide, Sunday, and Kehinde Matthew to four months community service each without an option of fine. Samson Opeyemi also bagged two months community service.

Justice U.E. Akpan of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan convicted and sentenced Mayowa Victor to one year imprisonment or a fine of N500,000 and Ejisun Kehinde to six months imprisonment with a fine option of N300,000.

Justice A.A. Okeke of the Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta, the state capital, also convicted and sentenced Gaffar to one month imprisonment without an option of fine.

The Star