Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court in Ilorin on Friday, March 4, 2022, convicted and sentenced six persons charged for internet-related fraud by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to various jail terms The convicts include: Abdulrahaman Ridwan, who claimed to be a farmer at Jebba, Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State; Yinus Lateef Shola, a fashion designer from Omupo in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the State and Jimoh Ahmed Adeola from Owo in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State. Others are Yinus Muiz Iyanda, Ridwan Oladimeji from Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State and one Gideon Thomas.
The defendants, who were arraigned on separate charges, pleaded guilty to their respective counts.
Following their pleas, Aliyu A. Adebayo, Sesan Ola and Rasheedat Alao who prosecuted the cases on behalf of the Commission drew the attention of the court to the admittance of guilt by the defendants and their confessional statements and urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants.
In his judgment, Justice Sani said the court was satisfied with the evidence adduced by the prosecution and pronounced the defendants guilty of their respective charges.
The judge sentenced Abdulrahaman Ridman to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira Only) and ordered that a Toyota Camry 2013 with registration number FST280GK which he purchased with proceeds of crime as well as his iPhone 7+ which was used to perpetrate the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government
The court also imposed a term of one year imprisonment with option of fine of N250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira Only) on Yinus Lateef Shola and ordered that the $230 (Two Hundred and Thirty United States Dollars), which he raised as restitution, one Apple Iphone 11 and HP laptop which were used as instrumentality of the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Similarly, Justice Sani sentenced Jimoh Ahmed to one year imprisonment with option of fine of N250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) and ordered the forfeiture of his grey Mercedes Benz which was purchased with the proceeds of crime, Apple Iphone XR, and Apple Iphone 12 pro to the Federal Government.
In the same vein, Yinus Muiz Iyanda bagged six months imprisonment with option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only) and would forfeit the iPhone 6 which was recovered from him at the point of arrest to the Federal Government.
For Rilwan, the Judge sentenced him to a prison term of one year with option of N250,0000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira Only). The court equally ordered the forfeiture of the convict’s iPhone which he used to perpetrate the crime.
Justice Sani sentenced Gideon to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only), and ordered that the sum of $500 (Five Hundred Dollars) which he raised as restitution and his phone that was used as instrumentality of the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government. Additionally, the convict would return $1,145 (One Thousand, One Hundred and Forty Five Dollars), part of what he benefited for his victims.
