The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of a serial internet fraudster and ex-convict, Olayinka Olatunji, to two years imprisonment and a fine of N500,000 for internet fraud.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Demi Ajayi of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
This was disclosed in a press statement issued on Sunday by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the agency.
It was gathered that Olatunji had on October 21, 2022, been convicted and sentenced to one-year imprisonment by Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State, for a similar offence.
The anti-graft agency also added that 17 cyber criminals were convicted and sentenced to jail before Justices Ladiran Akintola, Mohammed Owolabi, Iyabo Yerima and Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court and Justices Olugboyega Ogunfowora and A.A. Babawale of the Ogun State High Court, sitting in Abeokuta.
According to the EFCC, the names of the convicts includes Oyeyemi Oluwaseun, Salaudeen Olamilekan, Sadiq Ahmad, Ali Omosebi, Adebola Adetosoye, Toheeb Adeleye, Aliu Alabi, Oyesanya Olakunle, Adekunle Damilare, Olalekan Aremu, Adeagbo Tola, Fabiyi Ayo, Tobiloba Adams, Akinrinola Abiodun, Nwaoha Christian, Israel Adetola and Hassan Nofiu Ayomide.
The convicts were prosecuted by the EFCC between March 6, 2023, and March 30, 2023, on separate one-count charges each. They all pleaded “guilty” when the charges were read to them.
Meanwhile, prosecution counsels, Akorede Olushesi, Musa Galandanchi, Modupe Akinkoye, Chidiebere Okoli, Oyelakin Oyediran, Mabas Mabur, Lanre Suleiman and Samsudeen Bashir reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence and appealed to the courts to convict and sentenced the defendants as charged.
The statement also added that Omosebi, Adetosoye and Adeleye were convicted and sentenced to one-year imprisonment, while Oyesanya, Adekunle, Fabiyi, Adams and Ahmad were convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment but they were given an option of N50, 000.00 fine each.
Also, Akinrinola was sentenced to one-year of community service, while Oyeyemi and Alabi were sentenced to six months of community service each.
Olalekan and Adeagbo were convicted and sentenced to four months of community service each.
Nwaoha, Osibanjo and Hassan were convicted and sentenced to two months of community service each, whereas Salaudeen was convicted and sentenced to a fine of N40,000.
The court, however directed that the convicts restitute their victims and forfeit all items retrieved from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
