Crime

Two Convicted for Cybercrime, another Remanded in Oyo

By Web News 492

The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Thursday, July 14, 2022, secured the conviction and sentencing of the duo of Ogunlana Charles Tolulope and Amoo Emmanuel Abiodun on a separate one-count charge before Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan, and Justice Bayo Taiwo of the State High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The convicts were arrested by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC sometime in the year 2021 for cyber-fraud-related activities in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The charge against Ogunlana reads: “That you, Ogunlana Charles Tolulope ‘M’ (aka Brandon Oliver) on or about the 8th of September, 2021 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently impersonate one BRANDON OLIVER a male citizen of the United States of America via your Google Hangouts [email protected] and [email protected] with intent to gain monetary advantage for yourself, the pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b)(i) and punishable under Section 22 (3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.”

The charge against Amoo reads: “That you, Amoo Emmanuel Abiodun on or about 29th October 2021, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, impersonated Clifford Smith, a white man from the United States of America and thereby committed an offence of Impersonation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

They pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them by the EFCC.

Consequently, Justice Agomoh convicted and sentenced Ogunlana to one-year imprisonment and ordered him to restitute the sum of N1,600,000.00 (One Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) domiciled in his bank account to his victim and forfeit one Camry car to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Similarly, Justice Taiwo convicted and sentenced Amoo to six months of community service and ordered that the convict pay the sum of $1,300USD (One Thousand Three Hundred United States of America Dollars) in restitution and forfeit one iPhone 11 mobile phone to the Federal Government.

In a related development, the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC arraigned one Sotunde Bashir Abiola before Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, on one count charge bordering on fraudulent impersonation.

The charge reads: “That you, Sotunde Bashir Abiola ‘M’ sometimes in March 2021 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud aided and abetted one Ashefon Daniel Kayode who fraudulently impersonated one Robbin Stephen with intent to gain advantage for himself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 (1) (b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b)(iv) of the same Act.”

He pleaded not guilty to the charge when read to him before the court.

Justice Agomoh ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Agodi Correctional Facility and adjourned till November 2, 2022, for the commencement of trial.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media & Publicity

15 July 2022

Crime

EFCC Secures Thirteen Convictions in Ibadan, Osogbo

By Web News 1262

The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured thirteen convictions before different Justices of the Federal and State High Courts in Ibadan and Osogbo, the capital cities of Oyo and Osun States.

The convicts are Abiodun Babatunde Sowunmi, Adeyemi Babatunde Hammed, Abeeb Abiola Badmus, Adebayo Akorede Saheed, Ganiyu Qudus Olawale and Omolade Ayemidotun Moses.

Others are Taofeeq Toheeb Atanda, Oyekanmi Qudus Oyewale, Alabi Ifeoluwa Olamide, B.T.D Multi global Limited, Adewuyi Adetoun, Owolabi Toheeb Tolulope and Taiwo Shedrack Akpoyen.

The convicts were prosecuted on separate charges.

Justice Uche Agomoh of Federal High Court, Ibadan, found Sowunmi, Olawale, Omolade and Badmus guilty of the offence of impersonation contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(1) Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2)(b) of the same Act. 

While Sowunmi and Olawale were sentenced to ten months imprisonment each, Omolade and Badmus bagged nine and six months imprisonment each.

Similarly, Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, convicted Alabi, Atanda, Oyekanmi, Adeyemi and Adebayo on separate charges of obtaining property by false pretence contrary to Section 419 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

The judge sentenced Alabi to a term of three months of community service, while Atanda, Adeyemi, Adebayo and Oyekanmi bagged two months of community service each.

In the same vein, Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of Federal High Court sitting in Oshogbo found B.T.D Multiglobal Limited guilty of counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 preferred against them by the EFCC.

Trouble started sometime in December 2017 when the Commission received a petition alleging B.T.D Multiglobal Limited and Adewumi fraudulent misappropriated 1billion naira, received from about 8,000 investors.

The court, while ordering the revocation of the certificate of incorporation of the company, ordered that the Corporate Affairs Commission should windup the company.

According to the judge, “the proceeds therefrom as well as the sum of 32million naira recovered in the course of the investigation should be used to pay the investors”.

The judge also found Adewuyi, who claimed to be 20 years old and a student of the Federal University of Technology; Akure as at the time the offence was committed guilty of counts 1 and 2 and imposed a prison term of three years on each of the two counts, to run concurrently.

In the same token, Justice Ayo-Emmanuel sentenced Akpoyen to ten months imprisonment over fraudulent impersonation, while ordering a prison term of six years on Owolabi for impersonation and possession of documents.

The convicts are to restitute their various victims and forfeit the items recovered from them to the Federal Government.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media & Publicity

23 November, 2021

Crime

Court Convicts Seven for Cyber-Fraud in Ibadan

By Web News 1264

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Command, on November 15, 2021, secured the conviction of seven internet fraudsters before Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Ogun State.

The convicts are Williams Ikechukwu Williams, Aizoba Opeyemi Stephen, Damilare Godwin Asore, Basit Oladeji Bamidele, Babajide Oluwapelumi Bolaji, Abayomi Stephen Aderohunmu and Oladokun Tobi Oladimeji.

They were all convicted after pleading guilty to one count separate charge of fraudulently impersonating some foreigners, contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015.

Justice Agomoh sentenced Asore to ten months imprisonment; Oladokun and Babajide were jailed nine months each; Aderohunmu seven months; Williams and Aizoba bagged five months each, while Basit received one-month prison term.

In addition to the jail terms, Oladokun was ordered to restitute his victim, Darlene Miller, the sums of $2,350USD (Two Thousand Three Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars) and N565, 369.97(Five Hundred and Sixty-five Thousand Three Hundred and Sixty-nine Naira Ninety-seven kobo) domiciled in his bank account.

Aderohunmu was ordered by the court to pay the sums of $700USD (Seven Hundred United States Dollars), N350, 058:52 (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Fifty-eight Naira Fifty-two Kobo) domiciled in his Wema Bank account and N4, 860:54 (Four Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty Naira, Fifty-four Kobo) domiciled in his Polaris Bank account as restitution to his victim, Davida Henderson.

Aizoba was ordered to restitute his victim, Jahneda Thea, the sum of $1,000USD (One Thousand United States Dollars).

Williams and Basit were ordered to return the sums of $1,600USD (One Thousand Six Hundred United States Dollars) and $880USD (Eight Hundred and Eighty United States Dollars) as restitution to their victims through the Federal Government.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media & Publicity 16 November 2021