39 Iinternet fraudsters bag jail terms in Oyo

Eric Patrick

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan Zonal Directorate has secured the conviction and sentence of 39 internet fraudsters 

from Justices O.S. Adeyemi, Bayo Taiwo and Ladiran Akintola, of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan.

This was made known in a statement by the EFCC and shared on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

The suspects were prosecuted on a separate one-count charge each, bordering on impersonation, cheating, possession of fraudulent documents and obtaining by false pretence.

According to the statement, They all pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them, following which prosecution counsel reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered incriminating documents and prayed the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.

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,

Others include 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 are 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 read, “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.”

Justice Adeyemi convicted and sentenced Austin Ayomide to one year community service or to pay a fine of N200, 000.00, Tunde got one month jail term or to pay a fine of N250, 000.00, while Abeeb Ayomide, Adeleke, Babatunde, Biodun, Oyindamola, Oluwatobi, Olatunbosun, Uche, Akinyimika, Adisa, Olashile and Adeniran bagged six months community service each and to pay N50, 000.00 each in addition to their sentence, besides Abeeb Ayomide who was slammed with N500, 000.00 in addition to his sentence. He slammed Sijuola with one month community service or to pay a fine of N100,000 Olatunde and Opemiposi were handed three months community service without an option of fine.

Justice Taiwo on his part convicted and sentenced Taoreed Abidoun to three months imprisonment, Mujeeb to four months jail term, while Olasunkanmi and Abideen bagged six months community service each and were further ordered to pay a fine of N150, 000.00 each in addition their sentences.

He convicted and sentenced Gbolahan, Damilare, Adebayo and Abdulrauf to five months community service each and gave the latter a fine option. Waheed  and Samuel got four months community service, and a fine of N100, 000.00 while Destiny bagged two months community service.

Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Olamide, Oluremi, Damilola, Justice, Josaiah, Emmanuel and Shiyanbola bagged one year jail term each or  to pay a fine of N30, 000.00, N50, 000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira), N75, 000.00, N75, 000.00, N50, 000.00, N120, 000.00 and N100, 000.00  respectively.

Damilola forfeited a green-coloured Nissan Micra car with registration number: LSD – 464 – GU with Chassis Number: SJNFBAK11U3001751; Emmanuel forfeited a black-coloured Lexus IS 250 car with registration number: MUS – 158 – JHS and Justice forfeited a black-coloured Toyota Corolla  car with registration number: FST – 607 – GN.

Justice Akintola convicted and sentenced Idris and David to six months community service each or to pay fines of N60, 000.00 and N150, 000.00  respectively.

Ridwan and John bagged three months community service each or to pay fines of N25, 000.00 ) and N30, 000.00.

The convicts forfeited all items recovered from them to the Federal Government.