Federal University of Agriculture, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic students, 7 others bag jail term over internet fraud
Yanju Uwala in Abeokuta
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan Zonal office, has secured the conviction of nine internet fraudsters before two different judges of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, and among them were students of Federal University of Agriculture and Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta.
Penpushing reports that the latest of the convictions, involved Toheeb Abdulrasheed and Chukwuebuka Isaac Dike, who were sentenced by Justice Mohammed Abubakar of the Federal High Court, in Abeokuta, on Monday, June 8, 2020, for their involvement in internet-related fraud.
The Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale,in a release indicated that Dike, who claimed to be a 100-level Biochemistry student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), was sentenced to three months in imprisonment.
Penpushing further reports that, the statement said, Abdulrasheed, a self-acclaimed graduate of Business Administration from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, bagged four months.
The commission said their sentences was as a result of the prayer of the prosecution counsel, Abdulrasheed Suleiman for their conviction after they pleaded guilty to their respective amended one-count charge.
The judge, aside the prison sentences also ordered that Abdulrasheed restituted the sum of $600USD to his victim, through the Federal Government of Nigeria, and to also forfeit his iPhone 6 to the Federal Government.
Penpushing also reports that, Dike on the other hand, was ordered to restitute the sum of $500USD to his victim and ceded his Gold iPhone 11 Pro Max and Rose Gold Infinix Hot 5 to the Federal Government.
However, Justice Ibrahim Watilat of same Federal High Court, Abeokuta, had on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, convicted and sentenced the trio of Tobiloba Oni, Paul Oluwadamilare Odole and Michael Oluwaseun Jemiseye, having found them guilty of the criminal charges preferred against them by the Ibadan Zonal Office of the Commission.
Penpushing reports that, Oni was handed four months imprisonment; Jemiseye got three months with N120,000 option of fine, while Odole got four months with equally N120,000 option of fine.
The convicts were also mandated to sign a pact with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) to be of good behaviour and never to be involved in any form of economic and financial crime within or outside the country and moreover, to always make themselves available for participation in subsequent anti-corruption campaigns of the Commission.
Penpushing further reports that, Justice Watilat, had also convicted three additional others for internet-related crimes, and they include; Chinueze Ekeh, Kolade Nwachukwu and Sultan Adeniji Egbede who were handed three months imprisonment each with N100,000, N50,000 and N100,000 option of fine, respectively, which must be paid within two days of the sentence or else, the prison term would apply.
The judge, Justice Abubakar in similar vein, on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, convicted Rotimi Quadri Akinlolu of involvement in internet fraud, and he was sentenced to six months imprisonment with effect from March 6 when he was arrested, while he forfeited all items recovered from him to the Federal Government.
Penpushing also reports that, apart from Suleiman, other prosecution counsels involved in the convictions include: Tunde Sonoiki, Oyelakin Oyediran and Bashir Shamsuddeen.
