The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of five internet fraudsters also known as Yahoo Boys for offences bordering on cyber fraud.
Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar and Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the State High Court, Ilorin convicted the fraudsters on Monday, December 6, 2021.
The convicts: Adeniyi Samson, Ezekuse Kingsley Somtochukwu, Nwadei Oluwapelumi, Ibrahim Ibrahim Mobolaji and Akinola Habideen Kasumu were prosecuted on separate two count charges each except Kasumu that was tried on one count.
The defendants, upon arraignment pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to them.
Samson, Somtochukwu and Oluwapelumi were prosecuted before Justice Abdulgafar while Mobolaji and Kasumu were tried before Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the State High Court, Ilorin.
Rashidat Alao and Aliyu Adebayo who prosecuted for the Commission before Justice Abdulgafar and Justice Akinpelu, respectively called witnesses through whom they tendered several fraudulent documents to establish the culpability of the defendants.
The counsel urged the court to consider the admittance of guilt by the defendants, the uncontroverted evidence of the prosecution and the plea bargain agreement entered by the defendants with the Commission as well as the provisions of the law to convict them as charged.
Delivering judgement, Justice Abdulgafar found the trio of Samson, Somtochukwu and Oluwapelumi guilty on each of the two counts against them. The judge thereafter sentenced them to six months imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently.
However, Samson, a 300Level varsity student, would have his sentence suspended. Nonetheless, he would forfeit $300 found to be proceed of the crime to the Federal Government.
On the other hand, the judge ordered the forfeiture of Somtochukwu’s IPhone 11 which was used to perpetrate the crime and a manager’s cheque of N261,000 raised as restitution to the victim with the sum of $500, which he benefited from the crime to the Federal Government.
In the same vein, the judge ordered the forfeiture of Oluwapelumi’s iPhone 11, Dell Laptop that was used to perpetrate the crime and the sum of $170 which he benefited from the crime to the Federal Government.
Similarly, Justice Akinpelu imposed a prison term of six months on Mobolaji on each of the two counts with option of fine of N100,000 on each count. According to the judge, the convict would forfeit iPhone 12 pro max, which he used as instrument to perpetrate the crime and the sum of $2,000 which he benefitted from the crime as well as the draft of N200,000 raised as restitution to the victim.
Furthermore, Justice Akinpelu found Kasumu guilty of the lone count against him and sentenced him to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N100,000.
The judge also ordered the forfeiture of Iphone 5 used as instrument of crime by the convict.
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