By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Commission, (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentence of 39 internet fraudsters from Justices O.S. Adeyemi, Bayo Taiwo and Ladiran Akintola, all of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan.
They were prosecuted on a separate one-count charge each, bordering on impersonation, cheating, possession of fraudulent documents and obtaining by false pretence.
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 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 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 committed an offence of personation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
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.
Justice Adeyemi convicted and sentenced Austin Ayomide to one year community service or to pay a fine of N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira), Tunde got one month jail term or to pay a fine of N250, 000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), 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 (Fifty Thousand Naira) each in addition to their sentence, besides Abeeb Ayomide who was slammed with N500, 000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) in addition to his sentence.
He slammed Sijuola with one month community service or to pay a fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira). 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 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) each in addition their sentences.
He also convicted and sentenced Gbolahan, Damilare, Adebayo and Abdulrauf to five months community service each and gave the latter a fine option N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira). Waheed and Samuel got four months community service, and a fine of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira), 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 (Thirty Thousand Naira), N50, 000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira), N75, 000.00 (Seventy-five 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) 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 (Sixty Thousand Naira) and N150, 000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) respectively. Ridwan and John bagged three months community service each or to pay fines of N25, 000.00 (Twenty-five Thousand Naira) and N30, 000.00 (Thirty Thousand Naira) respectively.
The convicts forfeited all items recovered from them to the Federal Government.
All the convicts began their journey to prison when they were arrested in a sting operation for fraudulent internet activities.
