The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, secured the conviction of six internet fraudsters on charges bordering on fraudulent impersonation.
Five of the convicts – Ahmed Oguneye Abiona, Owoade Kehinde Elijah, Oriade Sunday Oluwatobiloba, Usman Adams Shehu, and Waris Adegoke Adeyemo – were prosecuted before Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Oshogbo, Osun State, while David Fatunla Taiwo (aka Jeff Wood), was prosecuted before Justice Babs Kuewunmi of the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.
According to a statement by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, they all pleaded guilty to their respective one-count charges and were convicted accordingly.
Abiona, Adeyemo, and Shehu bagged four months each, Owoade three months, while Oriade was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment. Taiwo was slammed with twenty months’ imprisonment.
The court also ordered the defendants to restitute their victims. Oriade is to restitute his victim the sum of $590 (Five Hundred and Ninety United States Dollars). He was equally ordered to forfeit an iPhone XR, one Samsung S5 mobile phone, and one Acer Laptop to the Federal Government of Nigeria,
Ahmed is to restitute to one Michael Johnson the sum of $500 (Five Hundred United States Dollars) and further forfeit the sum of Three Million, Thirteen Thousand, Seven Naira, Thirty-nine kobo (N3, 013,007.39) found in his United Bank of Africa Account, an iPhone 11 Pro Max mobile phone and one Toyota Camry car to the Federal Government of Nigeria, being proceeds of his crime.
Adeyemo was ordered to return the sum of $300 (Three Hundred United States Dollars) to one Peter Decker and forfeit one iPhone 11 Pro Max to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Shehu is to restitute his victim the sum of $400 (Four Hundred United States Dollars) and forfeit one Samsung Galaxy S8 to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Owoade was ordered to restitute his victim the sum of $300 (Three Hundred United States Dollars) and forfeit an iPhone 6 mobile phone to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Taiwo was ordered to restitute his victim, one Joanne K. Thornhill, the sum of £450(Four Hundred and Fifty Pounds) through the Federal government of Nigeria.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
