The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has secured five convictions before the Federal and State High Courts in Ibadan, Oyo State and Osogbo, Osun State, respectively.
Among the convicts is Amusa Abdulhakeem Oluwasegunfunmi, a final year student of Transport Planning Management at the Tai Solarin University, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, who was sentenced to eight months of community service, for fraudulent impersonation.
The others are Abdulhak Ajisafe, Sodiq Olaide, Lawal Samuel Morenikeji, Osuolale Abdullahi Abiodun, and Olamilekan Ridwan Taofeek.
They were each convicted on separate one-count charges for offences relating to cyber-fraud.
Upon their arraignments, they pleaded “guilty” to the charges preferred against them by the EFCC.
Given their pleas, the prosecution counsel urged the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Consequently, Justice Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, Osun State, convicted and sentenced Oluwasegunfunmi, to eight months of community service for fraudulent impersonation, contrary to section 22 (2) (b) (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention Act, 2015.
The sentence requires him to clean the toilets at Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo, Osun State.
Also, the court ordered that the convict’s attendance register be kept by the School Principal, and submitted on completion of his term.
Similarly, Justice Iyabo Yerima of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, sentenced Ajisafe Olaide to six months of community service, for obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section 419 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38 Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
In the same vein, Justice Omolara Adeyemi of the Oyo State High Court, convicted and sentenced Lawal Samuel Morenikeji to six months of community service; Osuolale Abdullahi Abiodun and Olamilekan Ridwan Taofeek to one week of community service, as their offences violate Section 484 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38 Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The courts ordered that the convicts reimburse their victims, and forfeit all items recovered from them to the Federal Government.
In a similar development, the Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned Kayode Odeyemi, a 62-year-old retired Deputy Comptroller of the Correctional Centre, before the Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court in Bwari Abuja, on a two-count charge for offences bordering on land fraud.
Odeyemi obtained Six Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira from Joseph Emelieze, paid into his First Bank account, under the pretence that the said payment was meant for the purchase of a plot of land, situated at Sabon Lugbe, Abuja, an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006, punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.
Odeyemi is also accused of defrauding Joemelyz Global of Two Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira, paid into his Wema Bank account, for the purchase of another plot of land, at Sabon Lugbe, Abuja, but he pleaded not guilty to both counts.
The matter was adjourned to September 19, 2022, for commencement of trial, and granted the defendant, bail for One Million Naira, with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a civil servant, residing within the jurisdiction of the court.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
