The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of 11 individuals, including a 20-year-old electrician, for offences related to internet fraud and cybercrime.
Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Ilorin sentenced Mathew Yaba, the electrician, to nine months in prison without an option of fine. Yaba was found guilty of impersonation and retaining proceeds of unlawful activities, including the control of N7.38 million through a Kuda Bank account and impersonating a foreign individual, Raleigh Jredd.
Ten other convicts were also sentenced for various cybercrime-related offences. They include Samuel Stephen Ayomide, Bamidele Olajide, Isah Kadir, Abdulrasaq Jubril, Samuel Juwon, Omolaiye Stephen, Kayode Opeyemi, Abdulrahim Lasisi, Ugwuadu Michael, and Moshood Abduljawad.
Ayomide was convicted for defrauding an individual through a Telegram account named “CPN Goat,” misrepresenting himself as a specialist in creating credit bureau scores. He was sentenced to nine months in prison without an option of fine and ordered to forfeit $535 and an iPhone 16 to the federal government.
Olajide received six months in prison and forfeited an iPhone X, a Samsung A05, and $50. Kadir was sentenced to 300 hours of community service and forfeited his Infinix Hot10 Lite. Juwon received 12 months imprisonment and forfeited three iPhones and an HP laptop.
Omolaiye Stephen, also known as “Benefit,” was sentenced to nine months in prison and forfeited his phones along with N1 million to the federal government. Opeyemi received six months in prison and forfeited his phone and N500,000.
Lasisi was sentenced to 150 hours of community service and forfeited his Samsung S9. Michael and Abduljawad received 12 and six months respectively, with the forfeiture of their devices and restitution of N500,000 and $190.
Abdulrasaq Jubril was tried separately before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court. He received a six-month suspended sentence and forfeited his iPhone 12 and $180. He was also ordered to pay an outstanding $110 in restitution.
The EFCC presented confessional statements, digital devices, and monetary restitutions as evidence, all of which were admitted by the courts. All convicts pleaded guilty to the charges against them.