KWASU student, POS operator jailed for cybercrime in Kwara
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
A Kwara state University (KWASU) student and a POS Operator, Anthony Obumneme and Onyeanu David have been convicted by Justice Mohammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, having been found guilty of offences bordering on cybercrime contrary to Section 22(2) (b) (Ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2) (b) (iv) of the same Act.
The two convicts were prosecuted on separate charges of one count each by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Onyeanu, a POS operator, specialised in identity theft of unsuspecting victims to perpetrate fraud through the internet, while Anthony was one of the 30 ‘Yahoo Boys’ arrested on September 19, 2021 by the operatives of the anti graft agency during a sting operation on selected hostels at the Kwara State University, Malete.
Upon arraignment, the duo pleaded guilty to their respective charge.
Following their guilty plea, Sesan Ola and Rashidat Alao, who prosecuted for the Commission, drew the attention of the Court to the plea bargain agreement entered by the defendants with the Commission, and, therefore, urged the Court to consider the extra-judicial statements of the defendants and exhibits tendered from the bar as well as the provisions of the law to convict the defendants.
Justice Sani, in his judgment, said the Court had carefully considered the plea of the defendants, their statements and plea bargain agreements, holding that the defendants were guilty of their respective charge.
The Judge sentenced Anthony to one year imprisonment with N200,000 option of fine, while also ordering that the convict forfeit the sum of $150 and the iphone 11 he used to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.
Similarly, Justice Sani sentenced Onyeanu to six months imprisonment with N300,000 option of fine, adding that the convict would forfeit the sum of $300 (Three Hundred USD), which he benefited from the criminal activity and the iphone 12 Pro used to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.