Crime
Ilorin court sends Lecturer to prison over romance scam
Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin on Friday, March 12, 2021 convicted and sentenced a 38-year-old lecturer at the Kwara State College of Health Technology (Health Tech) Offa, Adebisi Ademola, to six months imprisonment over his involvement in love scam.
Ademola was among the thirty-three suspected internet fraudsters arrested on the September 14, 2020 in Offa area of Kwara State.
The defendant was prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on one count bordering on romance scam, an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 95 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria.
The charge reads: “That you, Adebisi Ademola (a.k.a Dawn Ayero) sometime in September, 2020 or thereabout at Ilorin, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court attempted to commit an offence of cheating by personation by pretending and representing yourself to be a white lady called Dawn Ayero to one Donald Oakes who is purportedly in love with the said Donald Oakes as it is contained in your gmail account: [email protected] and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 95 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
Following his ‘guilty plea’, counsel to the EFCC, Andrew Akoja, invited to the witness box, one Olumide Olasode, an operative of the Commission to review the facts of the case. He narrated how intelligence report led to the arrest of the defendant on September 14, 2020 at Offa area of Kwara State.
Petition from concerned citizens of Offa, statement of the defendant and all the fraudulent messages printed out of his email were tendered and admitted in evidence by the Court.
Akoja, thereafter, urged the Court to convict the defendant based on his plea, the exhibits tendered and the evidence of the sole prosecution witness (PW1).
Consequently, Justice Oyinloye found Ademola guilty of the charge and accordingly sentenced him. He, however, gave him an option of fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira).
The judge in addition, ordered the forfeiture of convict’s phone, used as instrument to perpetrate the crime, to the Federal Government.
The 32-year-old Nigerian male, named Aina Ibrahim Seun, wanted for the offence of indecent practices between males, contrary to sections 214(3) and 217 Of the Criminal Code Act.
Aina who lived at 15, Morofunola Street, Agege, Otubo Bus Stop, Lagos State, was declared wanted for engaging in bisexual activities with his accomplice, Efe Okoro, a 30-year-old from Isolo Quarters, Lagos State.
This followed an investigation after Efe Okoro was caught at a Homosexual (gay) Wedding in Delta State and it has been confirmed that the police has found evidence that he has been involved in gay activities which is a Known crime in Nigeria.
The incident was reported to the Nigeria Police Divisional Headquarters in the community. Upon interrogation, Efe, who is Aina’s gay partner, confessed to the act after the police found him with sex photos of himself and Aina Ibrahim Seun in September 2023. Aina, who is currently at large, has been declared wanted by the Nigeria Police.
The Nigeria Police, therefore, urges the community youths and anyone who knows the whereabouts of Aina Ibrahim Seun to report to the nearest Police Station for arrest and prosecution.
Recall that gay activities in Nigeria are highly prohibited and attract penalties, including not less than 14 years jail term.
By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna
Kaduna state Police Command, has confirmed the abduction of two Kaduna based Journalists, Alhaji AbdulGafar Alabelewe and Abdulraheem Aodu of The Nations and Blue print newspapers respectively.
The bandits in their large numbers, late Saturday night, stormed Danhonu community in the Millennium City of Chikun local government area of Kaduna State and abducted the journalists alongside their wives and children.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Kaduna State Command ASP Mansur Hassan said that his men are still in the bush, adding that all efforts are in place to rescue the victims unhurt.
Alhaji Alabelewe is the current chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council.
A family member of one of the victims, Taofeeq Olayemi, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits stormed the community at about 10:30pm on Saturday night and started shooting sporadically before carrying out kidnap.
He said they kidnapped Alhaji Alabelewe, his wife and two of his children, while Alhaji Aodu and his wife were kidnapped, leaving behind their sick daughter.
“Initially, they picked Alhaji Abdulgafar, his wife and three of his children and a girl staying with them before asking the girl to return back with one of the children, leaving with Abdulgafar, his wife and two children.
“They shattered their doors, windows and removed their burglary after scaling the fence,” he narrated.
Olayemi, who is a family member of Mr Aodu and lives close to the victims’ houses, further said: “they came around 10:30pm on Saturday night and started shooting sporadically. They first forced Aodu’s door open and picked him and his wife and left their sick daughter behind.
“Then, they entered Abdulgafar’s house through the fence and jumped into his house. They went straight into his bedroom and picked him, his wife and two of their kids and left immediately, after which the vigilantes arrived and started shooting into the air.”
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