Courts jail 32 internet fraudsters in Ibadan

Thirty-two individuals have been convicted and sentenced to various prison terms by the Oyo State High Court and the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan for their involvement in internet fraud.

The accused were prosecuted by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges related to impersonation and other internet-related offenses.

The charges against the defendants involved fraudulent online activities such as impersonating foreign individuals on social media platforms to deceive victims.

The convicts are: Kolade Olayinka Akinlosotu, Adetoro Kolawole Jelili, Olatunji Opeyemi Matthew, Ehifowoju Kehinde Emmanuel, Basit Akorede Mustapha, Banjoko Olamide Oriyomi, Badmus Quazeem Damilola, Ikumapayi Olalekan Babajide, Muili Olamilekan Sodiq, Odususi Yemi Michael, Ashiru Adebola Ibrahim, Ayomide Olamide Ogidan, Fatusin Michael Abayomi, Omotosho Oluwapelumi James, Adewale Ibikunle Abdullahi, Ismail Ibrahim Friday, Adedara Ademola Ayobami and Ajayi Elijah Oladimeji.

Others are: Oladele Salam, Olasunkanmi Kadril Yakub, Ayomide Hassan Omolade, Ojo Oluwanifemi Emmanuel, Temitope Gbenga Agbaminoja, Oyewale Timileyin Ayodeji, Olajide Lekan Peter, Obaoye Samuel Olaoluwa, Ajayi Okiki Michael, Mustapha Quadri Ayinde, Oluwatimilehin Noah Ojo, Oluwajana Segun Joseph, Oluwashina Gbenga Adeniyi and Kolawole Ojukotimi Adebesin.

The charge against Akinlosotu reads: “That you, Kolade Olayinka Akinlosotu sometime in May, 2023 at Ibadan, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud one Orlando Mejia, did falsely represent yourself as one Amanda Smith, a woman from Texas, United States of America through Facebook with account name Amanda Smith, thereby committed an offence of impersonation, contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

They all pleaded “guilty” when the charges were read to them, upon which prosecution counsel, Modupe Akinkoye, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, Chidi Okoli, Sanusi Galadanchi, Lanre Suleiman, Mabas Mabur, Shamsuddeen Bashir, David Olubode and A.M. Aliyu prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Consequently, Justice Olawoyin convicted and sentenced Peter to two years imprisonment or to pay N500, 000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine, and Ayodeji to one year imprisonment or to pay N250, 000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) fine, while Justice Maha convicted and sentenced Abayomi to one year imprisonment or to pay N250, 000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) fine.

Justice Adeyemi on her part, convicted and sentenced Oriyomi and Ibrahim to one year imprisonment each without option of fine. Ayobami, Abdullahi and Ayinde bagged six months community service each, without an option of fine. She convicted and sentenced Ojo, Mustapha and Adebesin to three months community service each without option of fine.

Justice Akintola convicted and slammed Oladimeji, Joseph and Olaoluwa with one year jail term each or to pay a fine of N50, 000.00, N40, 000.00 and N150, 000. 00 respectively.

He slammed Adeniyi with six months jail term or to pay N150, 000.00 fine, while Jelili bagged six months community service or to pay N150, 000.00 fine. Michael and Olamide got three months jail term each or to pay N50, 000.00 fine, each.

Also convicted and sentenced by Justice Akintola were Kehinde Emmanuel, Babajide, Sodiq, James, Salam, Yakub, Omolade, Oluwanifemi Emmanuel, Agbaminoja, Okiki Michael and Friday who bagged three months of community service each or to pay N50, 000.00 , N50, 000.00 , N75, 000.00 , N50, 000.00, N75, 000.00 , N40, 000.00, N50, 000.00, N40, 000.00, N40, 000.00, N30, 000.00 and N50, 000.00 respectively.

Furthermore, Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Matthew and Damilola to a fine of N30, 000.00 and N50, 000.00 respectively.

Justice Sunmonu convicted and sentenced Akinlosotu to three months community service without an option of fine.
Besides their sentences, all the convicts forfeited items recovered from them to the federal government. These include money, phones and laptop computers. Others are a green-coloured Toyota Camry 2205 model car with registration number: EPE – 232 – GU recovered from Oriyomi, a wine-coloured Toyota Camry vehicle with registration number: MUS – 84 – GU recovered from Ibrahim, a red-coloured Toyota Corolla car with chassis number: 2T1BU4EE3AC495391, recovered from Olaoluwa, a black-coloured Toyota Camry car with registration number: MUS – 683 – HJ, recovered from Adeniyi and a golden-coloured Toyota Camry vehicle with chassis number: 411BE46KX8U203665 recovered from Abdullahi.

The court also ordered that Ayobami pay the sum of N2.5million as restitution to his victim.