Ex-convict, Oluwatobi, back to prison for same cybercrime
***Will spend 28 years
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
A 29 year-old ex-convict, Joshua Ajayi Oluwatobi, has been sentenced to 28 years imprisonment by Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin for impersonating the Dean, Student Affairs, University of Ilorin, and others with an intent of scamming unsuspecting students seeking to pay school fees and for hostel accommodation.
The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Oluwatobi on four-count charge bordering on fraud, attempt to defraud and impersonation, to which he pleaded guilty.
Oluwatobi, had sometime in June 2020 been convicted by Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court for similar offences.
After completing his jail term at Mandala Correctional Centre, the convict went back to the crime, and was again arrested by operatives of the EFCC and brought before the court for justice.
Following the plea of guilt entered by the defendant, Counsel to the EFCC, Andrew Akoja, presented a witness, one Musa Muhmmad Sani, an operative of the EFCC, through whom he reviewed the facts of the case and presented documents to establish the culpability of the defendant in the crime.
Akoja urged the court to consider the uncontroverted evidence of the prosecution before it, the admittance of guilt by the defendant and convict the defendant as charged.
Delivering judgment, Justice Abdulgafar said the material evidence placed before the court has shown that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The Judge consequently pronounced Oluwatobi guilty of the four counts and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently. The court also ordered the convict to restitute his victims.