39 internet fraudster have been sentenced to jail by judges O.S. Adeyemi, Bayo Taiwo, and Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High court, Ibadan.
This was revealed by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
Each of the arrested persons faced a single case of prosecution that included allegations of impersonation, cheating, possession of counterfeit documents, and obtaining information under false pretenses.
A statement by EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale reads, “The convicts are: Fasanya Abdulqudus Gbolahan, Nkiri Oluchukwu Destiny, Fakoya Tobi Samuel, Owolabi Qudus Damilare, Isiaka Olajide Adebayo, Olawoyin Wasiu Olasunkanmi, Olawale Owolabi Abideen, Olayiwola Tunde Waheed, Kehinde Pelumi Abdulrauf, Okunlola Taoreed Abidoun, Okunlola Dolapo Mujeeb, Ademeso Raphael Olamide, Lawal Olajuwon Ridwan, Femi Dogo Oluremi, Ehinmowo Jeremiah Damilola, Joseph Isaac Justice, Enitan Tolulope John, Kolawole Toluwani Josaiah, Alo Ayokunnumi Emmanuel, Adetola Opeyemi Idris and Joshua Imole Shiyanbola.
Others include: Idowu Ezekiel David, Salau Abeeb Ayomide, Adeyemi Samuel Adeleke, Philip Olabode Olatunde, Fasanya Gbenga Tunde, Seun Ayomide Babatunde, Ogoayo Alabi Sijuola, Akanji Timothy Bidoun, Quadri Salami Oyindamola, Samuel Adeyemi Oluwatobi, Ogunyemi Gbolahan Opemiposi, Olabanjo Oluwafemi Olatunbosun, Paul Nneji Uche, Ayomiposi Clement Akinyimika, Abdullahi Mustapha Adisa, Ajetunmobi Azeez Olashile, Oluwaseun Adeyeye Adeniran and Onah Austine Ayomide.
“The charge against Austine Ayomide reads: “That you, Onah Austine Ayomide ‘M’ on or about 28th March, 2024, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated by representing yourself to be a white woman by the name Linda Mary from United States of America, through your Facebook account (Linda Mary) to one Clifton Deininger, from United States of America, with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby commited an offence of personation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
After the accusations were read to them, they all entered a “guilty” plea. Prosecution then went over the case facts, presented evidence that implicated them, and asked the judge to find them guilty and impose the appropriate punishment.
Judge Adeyemi confirmed Austin Ayomide guilty and sentenced him to one year of community service or to pay a fine of N200, 000.00 (two hundred thousand Naira). Tunde received a one-month jail sentence or a fine of N250, 000.00 (two hundred and fifty thousand Naira). Abeeb Ayomide, Adeleke, Babatunde, Biodun, Oyindamola, Oluwatobi, Olatunbosun, Uche, Akinyimika, Adisa, Olashile, and Adeniran were all given six months of community service and a fine of N50, 000.00 (fifty thousand Naira) each in addition to their sentences. Abeeb Ayomide, on the other hand, received a fine of N500, 000.00 (five hundred thousand Naira) plus punishment.
He asked Sijuola to pay a fine of N100,000 (one hundred thousand naira) or have him perform one month of community service. Three months of community service was mandated for Olatunde and Opemiposi, without the possibility of a fine.
On his part, Justice Taiwo found Taoreed Abidoun guilty and sentenced him to three months in prison; Mujeeb received a four-month jail sentence; Olasunkanmi and Abideen received sentences of six months community service each; in addition, they were ordered to pay a fine of N150, 000.00 (one hundred and fifty thousand Naira) each.
Gbolahan, Damilare, Adebayo, and Abdulrauf were also found guilty and given sentences of five months community service. Abdulrauf was also given the opportunity to pay a fine of N100,000 (one hundred thousand naira). Destiny received two months of community service, Waheed and Samuel received four months, and each was fined N100, 000.00 (one hundred thousand naira).
Olamide, Oluremi, Damilola, Justice, Josaiah, Emmanuel, and Shiyanbola were found guilty and sentenced to one year in prison each by Justice Akintola. Alternatively, they were forced to pay fines of N30, 000.00 (thirty thousand naira), N50, 000.00 (fifty thousand naira), N75, 000.00 (seventy-five thousand naira), N50, 000.00 (fifty thousand naira), N120, 000.00 (one hundred and twenty thousand naira), and N100, 000.00 (one hundred thousand naira).
A green Nissan Micra with the registration number LSD-464-GU and the chassis number SJNFBAK11U3001751 was forfeited by Damilola; A black Lexus IS 250 registered as MUS – 158 – JHS and a black Toyota Corolla registered as FST – 607 – GN were forfeited by Emmanuel and Justice, respectively.
Idris and David were found guilty by Justice Akintola, who also sentenced them to six months of community service and N60, 000.00 (sixty thousand Naira) and N150, 000.00 (one hundred and fifty thousand Naira) in fines. John and Ridwan were sentenced to three months of community service each, or twenty-five thousand naira and thirty thousand naira in fines.
All items found on the criminals were forfeited to the federal government.
