Justices Haleema Saleeman and Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin have convicted and sentenced six individuals for fraud-related offences.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission revealed this in a statement on its official X handle, @officialEFCC, on Saturday.
The convicts include Akingbehin Temitope Oluwaseyi, Ajayi Elijah Olaoluwa, Samson Babatunde Ilesanmi, Quadri Olamilekan Lamidi, Kolawole Kehinde Moses, and Olatunji Elijah Olabisi.
According to the EFCC, the individuals were prosecuted by its Ilorin Zonal Directorate on various charges, including retention of proceeds of criminal activities, cheating, impersonation, and internet fraud.
“Oluwaseyi, (a 25-year-old car dealer), Olaoluwa, Ilesanmi, and Lamidi were arraigned before Justice Saleeman, while Moses and Olabisi faced Justice Abdulgafar,” the statement partly read.
One of the charges against Oluwaseyi stated: “That you, Akingbehin Temitope Oluwaseyi, sometime between 2021 and 2024 at Offa, within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, did retain the control of the gross sum of N2,707,562 (Two Million, Seven Hundred and Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-Two Naira) in your Opay account number 09064776590 being the sum paid to you which you knew to be proceeds of criminal conduct, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) and (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.”
Similarly, Ilesanmi was charged with impersonation: “That you, Samson Babatunde Ilesanmi (a.k.a Angela Sara Maya) sometime in 2023 within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court did cheat by personation when you pretended to be one Angela Sara Maya via Facebook messenger account and induced one Larry Guerrero to part with the sum of $250 (Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars) thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 321 and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.”
The EFCC noted that the defendants all pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
Prosecuting counsel, Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja, reviewed the cases, presented witnesses, and tendered evidence, including the defendants’ extra-judicial statements and items recovered during their arrests.
“Satisfied that the cases against them have been proven beyond every reasonable doubt, Justice Saleeman sentenced Oluwaseyi to one-year imprisonment on Count One or to pay a fine of N1m and also a one-year imprisonment on Count Two or to pay a fine of N707,562 (Seven Hundred and Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-Two Naira).
“In addition, he forfeited his two phones, being the tools of his crime, and a Toyota Camry car, 2009 model, to the federal government,” the statement disclosed.
On Olaoluwa, the judge sentenced him to one-year imprisonment or a fine of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira). The convict also forfeited his iPhone 13 Pro Max and $410 to the government.
“Ilesanmi was handed a four-month prison term or a fine of N250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). He also forfeited $150 and his two phones to the federal government,” the EFCC added.
Justice Saleeman also sentenced Lamidi to four months imprisonment or a fine of N150,000 on Count One, three months imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 on Count Two, and two months imprisonment or a fine of N50,000 on Count Three.
“The sentences run concurrently. Lamidi also forfeited €325 (Three Hundred and Twenty-Five Euros), $150 Canadian dollars, and two phones to the federal government,” the statement concluded.
