Crime

EFCC Secures Conviction of 37 Fraudsters

By Web News 704

By Oluwakayode Banjo

The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentencing of thirty-seven (37) internet fraudsters to various terms of imprisonment, fines, and community service.

This is contained in a statement signed by the commission’s Head, Media & Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren

 The convicts who were prosecuted before Justices Mohammed Owolabi, Ladiran Akintola and Mojeed Oladimeji Ishola of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan; Justices Olanrewaju Mabekoje, A.A. Babawale, O.O. Majekodunmi and O. Ogunfowora of the Ogun State High Court, Abeokkuta and Justice Ayo Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, Osun State between January 10 and March 06, 2023, include  Olubanji Remilekun Dare, Abdullahi Olalekan, Salau Olalekan Abdulazeez, Joshua Jimoh Showemimo, Awotunde Joseph Sunday, Abegunde Oluseye James, Sadu Noah Babatunde, Emmanuel Oluwasanya, Joshua Opeyemi Okunlaja, Emefele Collins Kelvin, Lateef Afeez Abiodun, Salawu Bolaji Ismail, Azeez Alao Rasaq, Akinleye Abdul-Azeez Oloruntosin, Quincy Olise Okonma, David Olateju Olayiwola,  Balogun Ibrahim Olanrewaju, Adebayo Waris Bolaji, Makinde Taiwo Busola, Ojekunle Ifakorede Apesinola, Akorede Ibrahim Abimbola, Olowofela Ganiyu Omolaja,  and Olatunde Zaccheus Sulaiman.

Others are: Fagbamiye Temitope Akinola, David Mautin Sadagbande, Odunjo Fodirudeen Bamidele, Abayomi Gideon Ayeni, Folorunsho Samuel Oluwatobi, Amoo Abdulmalik Ademola, Shittu Toheeb Ife, Stephen Godwin Olawoye, Oladimeji Ayomide Michael, Arasi Taiwo Bolaji, Sulaiman Lateef Damilare, Olori Daniel Oluwaseun, Ganiu Jamiu Adufe and Akinlagun Oyindamola Tomiwa.

Upon their arraignments on a separate one-count charge each, they pleaded “guilty” except Fagbamiye Temitope Akinola who pleaded ‘not guilty’ and the case went into full trial.

Fagbamiye was arraigned on 18 counts which bordered on money laundering, an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as Amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

During the trial, the prosecution called one witness and tendered 10 exhibits that were admitted in evidence.

On February 7, 2023, Justice Emmanuel, in his judgment, pronounced Fagbamiye Temitope Akinola guilty as charged and sentenced him to two years imprisonment on each of the 18 counts, which is to run concurrently.

Justice Emmanuel, however, gave the convict an option of N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine on each of the 18 counts, amounting to N3.6 million (Three Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira).

Other convicts were sentenced to different jail terms ranging from two months to one year of community service or three months to one-year imprisonment with the option of fines.

Also, the courts ordered that the convicts restitute their victims and forfeit all items recovered from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

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Crime

88 year-old Woman Loses N36m to Fraudsters

By Web News 478

An 88-year-old woman, Tawakalitu Ilumoka, has told Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting at Ikeja, Lagos State, how she was allegedly defrauded of N36m by one Olorunfemi Ayodeji.

According to her, Ayodeji introduced her to some people when she informed him that her son based in the United States of America was sick.

She said this was after she sold a piece of land for N100m out of which she gave Ayodeji N100,000.

She said, “I called Otunba (Ayodeji) and told him about my son’s health challenge. He said I had to bring him to Ondo State.

“Though I complained that Ondo is some distance from Lagos, I agreed because he insisted my son could only be treated in Ondo.

“He, therefore, linked me up with some persons, namely Fakunle and Fabummi.”

Ilumoka said Fakunle and Fabunmi took her to a place where she met a woman, whom they said was a river goddess.

She said, “They eventually took me to a thick bush, where there was a well-fenced house. I was scared and I asked them why I was brought there.

“They then led me to a room in the house, filled with a pool of water. A woman came out of the water and they told me she was Olokun (river goddess).

“I was asked to lower my head and was warned not to look at the goddess in the face.

“They said Olokun wanted to give me money, but I declined, insisting that all I wanted was for my son to recover from the illness.

“I couldn’t comprehend all that Olokun was saying, so they were the ones interpreting her words to me.

“They later took me to another room, and they all entered one after the other.

“They covered their faces with pieces of white clothes. When they mentioned my father’s and mother’s names, I was confounded.”

She said after she got home, the trio of Fakunle, Fabunmi and Ayodeji started making monetary demands from her.

“Subsequently, they would call me as early as 7am and instruct me to pay money into a certain account. I paid the sums of N5m, N11m and N10m at different times into the account. I eventually paid them N36m,” she said.

The mother of nine and former trader at Oke-Arin Market, Lagos Island, burst into tears as she told the court that her son later died.

She said she reported the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which arrested Ayodeji and recovered N1.8m from him.

Ayodeji is facing three counts of obtaining money by false pretences, contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, and stealing, contrary to sections 278 (1), (2) and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The case was adjourned till September 30, 2022, for continuation of the trial.

Punch/Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

Crime

EFCC Arrests Two Herbalists, 24 Others, For Alleged Cyber Fraud In Ibadan

By Web News 860

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Command on Friday, October 29, 2021 arrested two self-claimed herbalists, Ajisafe Toheeb and Ogundayo Usman at Soka area of Ibadan over their alleged involvement in offences bordering on internet fraud.

They were arrested alongside twenty-four others, four of whom claimed to be students of Lead City University. 

Twenty two of the suspects have been indicted by the investigation, which is still ongoing.

The suspects are Soyinka Emmanuel Oluwafemi, Olaoti Fawaz, Omoke Ogbonaya, Okhiria Alex, Olamilekan Ibrahim, Olagoke Olalekan, Adeniran Ibrahim Adesina, Olasupo Temitayo Ayomide, Adeniran Basit, Ogunsetan Gbolahan Oluwasegun, Balogun Salam Omolade and Olamilekan Ibrahim.

Others are Ilesanmi Mayowa, Amao Emmanuel Abiodun, Olakanmi Babatunde Abdulrahmon, Olasile Jide, Dauda Sodiq, Hammed Ayomide Rasheed, Sodiq Olaide, Idris Damilola Yusuf, Abdulramon Mubarak and Ogunbiyi Segun.

They were arrested following verified intelligence on their alleged involvement in cyber fraud.

Items recovered from them include cars, mobile phones, television sets, Play Station5, laptops, among others.

Kayode Banjo

Crime

EFCC Nabs 7 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Ibadan

By Web News 616


Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office, on Friday, swooped on suspected internet fraudsters at their hideout in Wisdom Estate, Akobo area of Ibadan.
 The early morning operation, which followed series of intelligence on the alleged criminal activities of the syndicate, resulted in the arrest of seven suspects between the ages of 17 and 29 years.
The suspects include Sodiq Oluwasegun, Opeyemi Jamiu, Babatunde Damilare, Adisa Babatunde, Abayomi Taofeek, Oluyemi Kayode and Ambrose Timothy.
Items recovered from them included a Lexus RX350 SUV, laptops, different models of expensive iPhones and several documents containing false pretenses.
They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Sunday Ogunyemi