The convicts were jailed by Justices Ladiran Akintola, Adebukola Olajide and M.O. Ishola of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan;
Justice B.B. Adebowale of the Ogun State High Court, sitting in Abeokuta and Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The 33 internet fraudsters were arraigned on one-count separate charges bordering on cybercrimes.
They included Amos Temitope Taiwo, Fatai Habeeb Mayowa, Lateef Aremu, Abiona Itunuoluwa Solomon, Olamijulo Abiodun Kayode, Abulele Endurance Ogbemudia, Owolade and Shamsudeen Ayoola;
Odesanya Micheal Adedimeji, Oyedele Israel Sunday, John Timileyin Olasupo, Toriola Yusuf Alabi, Nafiu Wariz Ayomide and Adewale Adeyemi Fasasi Mumeen;
Azeez Faruk Olanrewaju, Olamilekan Samuel Olonitola, Okeke Hycent Obinna, Quzeem Opeyemi Tajudeen, Theophilus Iroboudu Onoapor and Olanrewaju Muhammed Opeyemi.
Others were Oladokun Abeeb Olaide, Precious Akinwale Balogun, Adebari Sodiq Wemimo, Ogunleye Ridwan Babatunde, Akinrinola Emmanuel Pelumi, Odigwe Victory Okwise and Seyitan David Ojo.
Oyinwola Micheal Olakunle, Adewale Ibrahim Adegoke, Odunton Durojaiye Oluwaseyi, Opaleye Ramadan Olanrewaju, Tolulope Adedoyin Asekoni, Oyewole Gideon David and Asogbon Emmanuel Tobiloba.
The one-count separate charge read: “That you, Opaleye Ramadan Olanrewaju ‘M’ on or about 4th February, 2020, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud one Micheal via your instagram account Catherine falsely represented yourself as Catherine a white woman from the United States of America which representation you knew to be false, thereby committed the offence of Personation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
As contained in a release by the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the convicted 33 internet fraudsters all pleaded “guilty” to the charge when it was read to them.
Consequently, prosecution counsels tendered facts of the cases and indicting documents before the courts.
They also prayed the courts to convict and sentence the defendants as charged.
“The judges, having listened to the prayers of both parties, convicted and sentenced the defendants accordingly,” it was stated in the release.
Taiwo was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment while Olasupo and Babatunde were sentenced to one year jail term each.
Aremu, Solomon, Adedimeji, Sunday, Alabi, Ayomide, Mumeen, Olanrewaju, Olonitola, Obinna, Tajudeen, Onoapor, Opeyemi, Wemimo, Pelumi, Okwise, Olakunle, Adegoke, Oluwaseyi, Olanrewaju, Asekoni, David and Tobiloba bagged six-month community service each.
Furthermore, Mayowa was sentenced to eight months community service while Kayode, Ogbemudia, Olaide, Balogun and Ojo bagged three-month community service each and Ayoola to two-month community service.
“The courts ordered that the convicts restitute their various victims and forfeit all items recovered from them, including eight exotic vehicles, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“All the 33 convicts started their journey to the Correctional Centre when they were arrested in various locations in Oyo and Ogun states by operatives of the EFCC.
“Further investigations showed that they were involved in different cases of internet-related crimes. They were subsequently charged to court and convicted,” it was stated.
