The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have secured the conviction of nine internet fraudsters in Kwara, Osun and Benue states.

Two students of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Animasahun Rokeeb Mayowa and Lawal Alamin Tewogbola, were on Tuesday sentenced to jail terms by Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin for internet fraud.

The two students, who are natives of Oyo and Offa in Oyo and Kwara states, respectively, were prosecuted on separate charge proffered against them by the EFCC.

The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them.

Following their plea, the EFCC counsel, Rasheedat Alao, through Salaudeen Abdulrasaq and Kaludeen Yahaya, who are operatives of the Commission reviewed the facts of the cases against the defendants.

The witnesses told the court how intelligence reports led to the arrest of the defendants in the Malete area of Kwara State with several incriminating documents.

According to the EFCC operatives, several documents including their extra-judicial statements and iPhones were tendered and admitted in evidence.

Justice Akinpelu, in her judgement, said the prosecution had established its case against each of the defendants.

The presiding judge sentenced Animasahun to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N150,000.

She further ordered that the recovered items, Toyota Camry Car 2007 model and one iPhone, be forfeited to the Federal Government.

Similarly, Justice Akinpelu sentenced Lawal to six months imprisonment with an option of N100,000.

She also ordered the forfeiture of the sum of $225, which the defendant benefited from the crime, and one iPhone 6 to the Federal Government.

Also in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, the EFCC on Monday secured the conviction of Onah Michael Owoicho, Ochigbo Monday Adakole and Ahmed Musa before Justice Abdu Dogo of the Federal High Court, Makurdi, Benue State, on separate one-count charges of criminal impersonation and obtaining money by false pretences.

Michael, allegedly obtained the aggregate sum of N35 million through credit card fraud, while Monday, obtained N2.3 million in Bitcoin fees from members of a Gay Group through a Gay Website.

He had represented himself as a Gay “Sugar Daddy” on the platform and enticed members to pay a Bitcoin fee of $254 to access the $5,000 which he will send to them as allowance for a romp.

Ahmed was nabbed for alleged ATM fraud.

The offences contravene Section 33(1) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.

The defendants pleaded ‘guilty’ when the charges were read to them.

In a separate case, Justice Dogo convicted and sentenced Owoicho to one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N3.5 million.

His Lexus ES 350 car, Samsung Galaxy A51 and Techno T662 mobile phones and monies in the two bank accounts used in committing the crime were ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.

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Adakole was sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N1.5 million. He was also ordered to forfeit a Toyota Camry car 2009 model and monies in four bank accounts used in committing the crime, to the Federal Government.

Musa bagged six month imprisonment with an option of fine of N250, 000.

On Tuesday, February 1, the EFCC secured the conviction of four internet fraudsters: Oseni Abolore Ismail, Popoola Samuel Ayomide, Shorinola Oluwatobiloba Michael and Akindele Kabiru Johnson Hammed before Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, Osun State.

Each pleaded guilty to one-count amended charge of impersonation contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (IV) of the same Act.

While Popoola and Shorinola were sentenced to six months imprisonment, Akindele and Oseni bagged four and five months’ jail terms respectively.

Akindele was ordered to return N4,630,000 to his victim. He as well forfeits a Lenovo Laptop, an Apple MacBook Pro Laptop, one Ipad, an iPhone 12 Pro Max and one Huawei Android phone to the Federal Government.

Similarly, Oseni was ordered to restitute his victim in the sum of $160 and forfeits one IPhone XS Max mobile phone to the Federal Government.

The court also ordered Popoola to restitute his victim, one David Ivy in the sum of $1,000. The convict also forfeits his Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max to the Federal government of Nigeria.

Shorinola was ordered to restitute his victim the sum of N1,400,000 and N1, 020,036.63.

He also forfeits his one Hp Laptop, one Samsung S9 Plus, one iPhone12, one Bolt WiFi and $10 being the amount he benefited from the fraud.

TheStar