A Lagos Federal High Court has sentenced Olukeye Olalekan to 76 years in prison for child pornography, fraud, cyberstalking and money laundering

[dropcap]A[/dropcap] Federal High Court in Lagos State has sentenced a man, Olukeye Adeayo Olalekan, to 76 years in prison after convicting him of child pornography, cyberstalking, fraud, and money laundering.

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The ruling was delivered on Thursday by Justice Alexander Owoeye, who found the defendant guilty on all 18 counts filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Olalekan’s charges included the distribution and procurement of child pornography, cyberstalking, retention of fraudulent proceeds, concealment of funds, and obtaining property under false pretences.

According to the EFCC’s prosecution counsel, Mrs Bilkisu Buhari-Bala, the offences contravened multiple sections of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Olalekan had initially pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on 6 September 2023 before Justice Y.G. Ringim. The case was later reassigned for a fresh trial before Justice Kehinde Ogundare, and eventually concluded before Justice Owoeye.

During the proceedings, five witnesses, including two EFCC investigators, testified against the defendant. Their testimonies proved crucial in establishing a clear pattern of digital manipulation, deception, and abuse.

This case demonstrates our commitment to tackling cybercrime and protecting minors from exploitation.

According to the prosecution, a British Columbia Serious Crime Unit in Canada had launched an investigation into the murder of 14-year-old Robin Janjus, found dead at home. Digital forensics on the

Also read: victim’s phone led investigators to social media accounts operated by Olalekan.

“The convict posed online as a female from North Carolina, using platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram to lure unsuspecting individuals,” Buhari-Bala told the court.

The EFCC revealed that Olalekan solicited and obtained money and property under false pretences, threatened to distribute explicit images of minors, and engaged in fraudulent transactions involving gift cards and cryptocurrency.

Justice Owoeye, in delivering judgment, stated that the overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution left no doubt as to Olalekan’s guilt. He subsequently sentenced the defendant to a cumulative term of 76 years imprisonment, although some sentences will run concurrently.

The conviction is one of the stiffest handed down in a cybercrime-related case in Nigeria and underscores the judiciary’s increasing resolve to clamp down on digital predators and financial criminals.

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The EFCC welcomed the verdict, describing it as a landmark case that sends a strong message to perpetrators of online exploitation and cyber-enabled fraud.

Source: Read more at premiumtimesng.com