Six convicted for cybercrime in Kwara
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Six persons have been convicted by the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin
for offences bordering on cybercrime, impersonation and other internet related fraud.
The convicts are Adeshina Wasiu; Hammed Akorede Hammed; Komolafe Shina David; Fatimehin Kayode; Adetoye Damilare Timilehin and Adebayo Ridwan Abiola.
They were prosecuted on separate charges by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Muhammed Sani and they pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
Following their guilty pleas, Innocent Mbachie, Aliyu Adebayo and Rasheedat Alao who prosecuted the cases on behalf of the EFCC tendered from the bar iphones, laptop, extra-judicial statements of the defendants and several incriminating documents printed out of their devices and were admitted in evidence after defence counsel raised no objection to the admissibility of the exhibits, prompting the prosecuting counsel to urge the court to convict them as charged.
In his judgment, Justice Sani said the prosecution had successfully established the cases against the defendants and pronounced each of them guilty of their respective charges.
The judge sentenced Wasiu to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N200,000 and ordered that the iphone 11 promax he used to perpetrate the crime as well as the sum of $50, which he raised as restitution be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The court also sentenced Hammed to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N100,000. The convict was ordered to forfeit the iphone S plus which he used to perpetrate the crime and to also restitute his victim the sum of $100.
In the same vein, Justice Sani sentenced Komolafe to six months imprisonment on each of the three counts against him with option of fine of N50,000. The sentences are to run concurrently while the total sum of N150,000 would be paid if the convict prefers the option of fine.
The judge sentenced Fatimehin to a prison term of six months with option of fine of N50,000. The convict is to restitute the sum of $200, which he benefited from his unlawful activities and also to forfeit his iphone 6S used to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.
Adetoye bagged six months imprisonment on each of the two counts preferred against him with option of fine of N200,000 for each count. The court ordered the forfeiture of his Iphone X and the sum of $750 which he raised as restitution to the Federal Government.
Justice Sani equally sentenced Adebayo to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N100,000, while also ordering the forfeiture of one iphone XR he used to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.