Court sentences 2 students to 13 months imprisonment for internet fraud

A Federal High Court in Ibadan on Thursday sentenced two students to 13 months imprisonment for internet fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Opeyemi Folarin and Ajibola Ogunseye with impersonation.

In two separate judgments, Justice Patricia Ajoku, held that she convicted and sentenced Folarin and Ogunseye based on the evidence tendered before her as well as the plea bargain agreement they entered into had with EFCC.

“This judgment is in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 that provides for anyone who enters a plea bargain agreement to be given a reduced sentence.

“Consequently, Folarin is sentenced to six months in prison and Ogunseye is sentenced to seven months in prison.

“All the exhibits found in possession of the convicts are forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” Ajoku ordered.

Earlier, counsel to the EFCC, Ibadan Zonal office, Mr Mabas Maburb told the court that the convicts were each arraigned on one-count amended charge bordering on impersonation.

Mabas said that Folarin and Ogunseye committed the crime sometime in 2020 in Ibadan.

He said that Folarin was an HND II student of the Polytechnic of Ibadan and Ogunseye, a student of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta.

The exhibits found in possession of the convicts include; an orange coloured iPhone XR, an iPhone VI, an an Apple series VI wristwatch, four game pads and cash of 700 dollars.

The EFCC said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 22(2) (B) of the cyber crime prohibition and prevention Act 2015.