CORPS MEMBER, GRADUATE, TWO OTHERS JAILED FOR INTERNET FRAUD
The jailed member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is Alimi Azeez Oluwadamilare, and Paul Opeyemi Omotunde, a 2019 graduate from the Federal University of Agriculture (FUNAAB), who were convicted and sentenced to four months in prison by Justice Ibrahim Watilat of Federal High Court 1, Abeokuta.
Penpushing further reports that, the Head of Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Tony Orilade in a statement explained that, Justice Mohammed Abubarkar of Court 2, Abeokuta jailed Igberase for four months.
The trio were re-arraigned on a one-count amended charge of criminal impersonation, contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(iv) of the Cyber Crime Prohibition Prevention Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.
The fresh arraignments were sequel to the plea bargain arrangements between them and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) which reduced the number of charges in the initial charge sheets to one.
Penpushing also reports that, besides sending them to jail, the Presiding Judges also ordered that they refund sums of money in United States Dollars to their respective victims as restitution, while all items recovered from them during their interrogation are equally to be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The judge of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Justice Patricia Ajoku in the same vein sentenced Okunoye Opeyemi James (a.k.a. James Kosta) to four months in prison. The 24-year-old was facing a one-count amended charge bordering on fraudulent impersonation contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(iv) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015.
Penpushing reports that, he was arrested for internet-related offences on April 11 by officers of the Nigeria Police Force who later handed him over to the Ibadan Zonal office of the commission for further investigation.
The Commission said investigations revealed that the convict’s modus operandi was to illegally hack into people’s accounts to gain unrestricted access to vital and sensitive information, and covert same to fraudulent use.
The statement said, the convict eventually pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of criminal impersonation preferred against him on Thursday, and was accordingly convicted and sentenced by the Presiding Judge.
Penpushing reports that, the court also ordered the convict to make restitution of the sum of N889,995, being benefit he derived from his fraudulent act, and he is similarly to forfeit one Iphone 7, and one Huawei handset to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
