The Oyo State High Court and Federal High Court in Ibadan have sentenced 32 internet fraudsters to various terms of imprisonment, community service, and fines for impersonation and cybercrimes, following prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The sentencing was carried out by Justices Ladiran Akintola, O.S. Adeyemi, K.B. Olawoyin, and G.A. Sunmonu of the Oyo State High Court, as well as Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court.
Among the convicts are Kolade Akinlosotu, Adetoro Jelili, Olatunji Matthew, and 29 others, who were charged with fraudulent impersonation.
Akinlosotu was charged with falsely representing himself as Amanda Smith, a woman from Texas, USA, to defraud one Orlando Mejia via Facebook.
The charge against him read, “That you, Kolade Olayinka Akinlosotu sometime in May, 2023 at Ibadan, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud one Orlando Mejia, did falsely represent yourself as one Amanda Smith, a woman from Texas, United States of America through Facebook with account name Amanda Smith, thereby committed an offence of impersonation.
The convicts, who all pleaded guilty, were charged with offences violating Section 484 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
Following their guilty pleas, the prosecution team, including Modupe Akinkoye, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, and others, urged the courts to convict and sentence the accused accordingly.
Justice Olawoyin sentenced Olajide Lekan Peter to two years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000, while Oyewale Ayodeji received one year imprisonment or a N250,000 fine.
Justice Maha sentenced Fatusin Abayomi to one year imprisonment or a N250,000 fine.
Other sentences included six months of community service without the option of fines for convicts like Adedara Ayobami, Adewale Abdullahi, and Mustapha Ayinde, as handed down by Justice Adeyemi.
Justice Akintola sentenced Ajayi Oladimeji, Oluwajana Joseph, and Obaoye Olaoluwa to one-year jail terms with fines of N50,000, N40,000, and N150,000 respectively.
Several others, including Ehifowoju Emmanuel and Ikumapayi Babajide, received three months of community service with fines ranging from N30,000 to N75,000.
In addition to their sentences, the convicts were ordered to forfeit items recovered from them, including money, phones, laptops, and vehicles such as a green Toyota Camry with number plate: EPE – 232 – GU recovered from Banjoko Oriyomi and a black Toyota Camry with number plate: MUS – 683 – HJ recovered from Oluwashina Adeniyi.
The court also ordered Adedara Ayobami to pay N2.5M in restitution to his victim.
