Oyo state high court jails 39 internet fraudsters
Operatives from the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended 39 individuals suspected of engaging in internet fraud in Oyo State. This development was confirmed by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale in a statement released on Wednesday in Ibadan, the state capital.
The suspects faced prosecution before Justices O.S. Adeyemi, Bayo Taiwo, and Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, all sitting in Ibadan. Each of the accused was charged separately with one count related to impersonation, deception, possession of fraudulent documents, or obtaining by false pretenses.
The convicted individuals include: Fasanya Gbolahan, Nkiri Destiny, Fakoya Samuel, Owolabi Damilare, Isiaka Adebayo, Olawoyin Olasunkanmi, Olawale Abideen, Olayiwola Waheed, Kehinde Abdulrauf, Okunlola Abidoun, Okunlola Mujeeb, Ademeso Olamide, Lawal Ridwan, Femi Oluremi, Ehinmowo Damilola, Joseph Justice, Enitan John, Kolawole Josaiah, Alo Emmanuel, Adetola Idris, and Joshua Shiyanbola. Additionally, Idowu David, Salau Ayomide, Adeyemi Adeleke, Philip Olatunde, Fasanya Tunde, Seun Babatunde, Ogoayo Sijuola, Akanji Bidoun, Quadri Oyindamola, Samuel Oluwatobi, Ogunyemi Opemiposi, Olabanjo Olatunbosun, Paul Uche, Ayomiposi Akinyimika, Abdullahi Adisa, Ajetunmobi Olashile, Oluwaseun Adeniran, and Onah Ayomide were also among those convicted.
One notable case involved Austine Ayomide, who was charged with fraudulently impersonating a white woman named Linda Mary from the USA via Facebook to deceive Clifton Deininger. He was found guilty of impersonation under Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The court proceedings concluded with varying sentences. Justice Adeyemi sentenced Ayomide to one year of community service or a fine of N200,000. Tunde was given a one-month prison term or a N250,000 fine, while others including Abeeb Ayomide, Adeleke, Babatunde, Biodun, Oyindamola, Oluwatobi, Olatunbosun, Uche, Akinyimika, Adisa, Olashile, and Adeniran were sentenced to six months of community service and fines, with Abeeb Ayomide facing an additional N500,000 fine.
Sijuola received a one-month community service or a N100,000 fine, while Olatunde and Opemiposi were sentenced to three months of community service without a fine option. Justice Taiwo sentenced Taoreed Abidoun to three months in prison and Mujeeb to four months. Olasunkanmi and Abideen were given six months of community service and additional fines of N150,000 each. Other sentences included Gbolahan, Damilare, Adebayo, and Abdulrauf, who received five months of community service each with a fine option, and Destiny, who was sentenced to two months of community service.
Justice Akintola handed out one-year jail terms or fines to Olamide, Oluremi, Damilola, Justice, Josaiah, Emmanuel, and Shiyanbola, with specific fines ranging from N30,000 to N120,000. Damilola forfeited a green Nissan Micra, Emmanuel forfeited a black Lexus IS 250, and Justice forfeited a black Toyota Corolla. Idris and David were sentenced to six months of community service or fines of N60,000 and N150,000, respectively. Ridwan and John were given three months of community service or fines of N25,000 and N30,000, respectively.
All items recovered from the convicts were forfeited to the Federal Government. The arrests and subsequent convictions were part of a targeted operation against fraudulent internet activities.
