Crime
Kwara Court jails photography apprentice, one other for fraud
A 26-year-old photography apprentice, Amole Samuel Anuoluwapo and one Adeboye Abel Oluwapelumi have been sentenced to various jail terms for offences bordering on cybercrime by the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin presided over by Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar.
Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar passed the judgement on Amole who hails from Akinyele Local Government Area, Ibadan, Oyo State and Adeboye Abel Oluwapelumi is an indigene of Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Amole and Adeboye who are to spend their terms in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre started their journey to jail on May 4, 2023, when the duo were arrested in Ilorin upon intelligence on their fraudulent activities by operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The anti-graft agency on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, arraigned Amole and Adeboye on separate charges, to which they pleaded guilty.
The charge sheet of Amole read; “That you, Amole Samuel Anuoluwapo, sometime in 2023, in Ilorin, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did attempt to cheat by impersonation when you pretended to be a white female via Google Voice with Email Address”annamichalzyk [email protected] which you used to communicate with a white male with Email Address “[email protected]” to induce him to send you money and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 95 of the Penal Code Law and Punishable under section 324 of the same Law.”
Count 2 of the charge sheet against Adeboye read; “That you, Adeboye Abel Oluwapelumi, sometime between May 2022 and February 2023 in Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly had under your control the sum of N218,000.00 which is reasonably suspected to be unlawfully obtained and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 319A of the Penal Code Law.”
Upon their “guilty pleas”, counsel to the EFCC Anselm Ozioko (Jnr.) led witnesses who are operatives of the Commission in evidence to review the facts of the cases.
The witnesses narrated the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the defendants and tendered their extra-judicial statements, phones and a sum of N218,000, which Adeboye benefited from the crime and were admitted in evidence by the court.
Ozioko (Jnr.) thereafter, prayed the court to hold that the prosecution had established the essential ingredients of the case to warrant the conviction of the defendants.
In his judgement, Justice Abdulgafar, who held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, pronounced the defendants guilty of their respective charges.
The trial judge sentenced Amole to six months imprisonment, which should be suspended. He also ordered that the iPhone 7 plus, which was recovered from him at the point of arrest be forfeited to the Federal Government.
In the same vein, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Adeboye to six months imprisonment on count one and one-year imprisonment on count two, which should also be suspended.
In addition, the court ordered that one iPhone 11 recovered from him at the point of arrest and the sum of N218,000, which he benefited from his criminal activities be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Troops of the Nigerian Army deployed for special clearance operation in Sambisa Forest, have eliminated 11 Islamic States of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists.
The Nigerian Army, in a statement on its official X Handle disclosed this on Saturday.
It said the feat was achieved in a coordinated special clearance operations with a hybrid force on terrorists’ enclave in Jongo Village within the notorious Sambisa Forest.
It said that the troops targeted the enclave, engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun battle, killing some while others fled in disarray.
The army said its troops further conducted exploitation ahead of the enclave, leading to the capture of some arms.
According to the post, the arms include 99 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm on metal link, 19 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm, 3 AK-47 rifle magazines, two 36 Hand grenades, and two locally made guns.
“This successful operation showcases the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian army in combating terrorism and securing in the region.
“The neutralisation of ISWAP terrorists and the confiscation of their weapons will undoubtedly contribute to enhancing security and stability in the area.
“This further demonstrated the commitment of the Nigerian military to eradicating terrorism and protecting the citizens,” it said.
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered final forfeiture of at least 20 property linked to the convicted former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a judgment, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt that the property, located in deferent parts of the country, were acquired illegally.
According to Justice Abdulmalik, the applicant effectively discharged its responsibility, under the law, to establish that the property were acquired with proceeds of crime.
The judge also held that the “various individuals, who responded to an earlier interim forfeiture order, requiring interested parties to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited, failed to establish their ownership of the affected properties with credible evidence.”
Out of the 23 property listed in the schedule, three of them were left out, which include Flat 42C, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Kaduna; Plot 18, Road F, on TPO 462B C of O Kd5469 and Plot of C of O Bo/426 Beacon B5086, B5087, B5105, B5104, B5099 Cadastral Zone B05 Utako.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Maina’s wife, Laila, who claimed to be a citizen of the United States, and some of his relatives and associates, including Uwani Usman, Alhaji Aminu Yakubu Wambai, Haruna Mu’azu Musa and Aliyu Abdullahi, had claimed ownership of the 23 property.
The anti-graft agency had earlier obtained an order of interim forfeiture of 23 property linked to Maina, currently on eight-year jail term for pension fraud to the tune of N2 billion.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice Abdulmalik agreed with lawyer to the EFCC, Farouk Abdullah, that those who claimed to owned the property failed to effectively establish the alleged ownership by producing credible evidence.
She said: “It is trite in law that civil cases in non-conviction forfeiture are hinged on the preponderance of evidence.
“Again, I hold that the respondents have failed woefully in tilting the scale of evidential weight in their favour.
“In all, sequel to the facts and documentary detailed evidence relied on by the applicant (the EFCC) in support of this application for final forfeiture, I do hold that the evidential burden of proof indeed shifted to the claimants to establish by way of cogent documentary evidence, the sequential trail of the genesis of their finances leading to the buildup as well as the the acquisition of the aforementioned properties subject of interim forfeiture.
“In view of this grave omission on the part of the claimants (Maina, his wife and his associates) to show good and credible cause on the history of their legitimate earnings, I hereby find merit in applicant’s application for final forfeiture of properties Nos: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 23 set out in schedule one, attached to the order of interim forfeiture, save properties No: 3, 14 and 20. I so order.”
The affected properties are located in Abuja, Nasarawa, State Kaduna State and Kano State.
They include “Plot No: 965 Gwarimpa 1 District, Cadastral Zone: CO2, covered by C of O No: 1afew-fe28z-63a5r-e36eu-10.
“Duplex located at No: 16 A Katuru Road, Kaduna.
“52B, SMC Quarters, Unguwan Dosa, Lot 016, comprising of 3 bedroom semi-detached bungalow.
“Property at Tola Street, Badarawa, Kaduna, comprising of three bedrooms and an undeveloped land.
“Plot Y12, Kano Street, Kawo New Extension, Kaduna.
“A duplex located at No: 21, 52 Crescent , Kubwa Phase 1V estate
“House 8, 211 Road, a close numbered FHA/EST/264/TA/032.l, 3 bedrooms bungalow.
*Farm at Dorawa, Karshi Development Area, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.
“Another farm at Dorawa, Karshi Development Area, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.
“Plot 3A, Sambo Road, Unguwan Rimi, covered by C of O No: KD15452.
“Plot MF-27A, New Pasafi Layout, Kuje, Abuja.
“Plot 1B Ajayi Road, Unguwan Rimi, covered by C of O numbered: NC24059
“Block 23 Flat 2 located at Life Camp (2 bedroom semi-detached.
“Property at No: 62 A/C Maternity ward , Damaturu Road, Biu
“Plot 3A, Sambo Road, Unguwan Rimi covered by C of O No: KD15452 comprising of uncomplicated buildings.
“Plot covered by C of O B426 beacon: B5086; B5087; B5105; B5104; B5099 at Cadastral Zone B05, Utako.
“No: 16 Dabai Road, off Mangoro Road, Sokoto State.
“No. 13 Korau Road, Nasarawa District, Kano.
“Plot 965 Cadastral Zone C02, Gwarimpa, FCT, Abuja.”
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