Ogun: Court jails two for internet fraud

A Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Friday convicted two internet fraudsters and sent them to jail. The convicts – Dauda Abdulsemiu Opeyemi was jailed for two months, while Adeite John Olaniyi was sentenced for five months. Justice Ibrahim Watilat found them guilty of fraudulent impersonation in a one-count amended charge filed […]

A Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Friday convicted two internet fraudsters and sent them to jail.

The convicts – Dauda Abdulsemiu Opeyemi was jailed for two months, while Adeite John Olaniyi was sentenced for five months.

Justice Ibrahim Watilat found them guilty of fraudulent impersonation in a one-count amended charge filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office.

In line with the content of the plea bargain agreements reached with the Commission, the duo had pleaded guilty to the amended charge.

Fraudulent impersonation offends section 22 (2) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015, and punishable under section 22 (2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.

Having pleaded guilty to the charge, the EFCC’s counsel, Shamsudeen Bashir, prayed the court to convict the defendants in accordance with the proposal in the plea bargain agreement.

The defendants’ respective counsel, Tunde Lawal and Beauty Ekah did not oppose the prosecutor’s prayer.

In his judgment, Justice Watilat sent Dauda to two months jail, while slamming Olaniyi with five months in prison.

Dauda will restitute the sum of $500 (Five hundred United States Dollars) to his victim through the Federal Government of Nigeria. He will also forfeit his blue Tecno phone and a black HP Laptop.

In the same vein, Olaniyi was ordered to restitute the sum of $750 (Seven hundred and fifty United States Dollars), and forfeit his one black Honda Accord car, one Hp laptop and one Iphone X-Max to the FG.