The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, presided over by Justice Dehinde Dipeolu, on Wednesday convicted eight fraudsters who entered guilty pleas to cybercrime-related offences following their arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
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The convicts were among 93 suspects apprehended during a sting operation at a hotel situated within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library complex.
They were arraigned on charges bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, identity theft, and romance scams.
During the proceedings on Wednesday, prosecution witnesses from the EFCC tendered exhibits, including iPhones and fraudulent documents extracted from the defendants’ devices, which directly linked them to online fraud activities.
Some of the convicts admitted profiting in millions of naira from romance scams and made restitution through the presentation of manager’s cheques.
The court admitted all exhibits, including mobile devices, written statements, and cheques, without objection.
Following the review of the facts and the convicts’ confessional statements, Justice Dipeolu found the eightof them guilty and sentenced Jinadu Rasaq Gbenisola to three months’ imprisonment with an option of N500,000 fine and forfeited his iPhone.
Salami Ponmile Basiru was also sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with an option of N2m fine and an iPhone forfeited.
Tijani Babatunde was jailed for three months with a fine of N1m and also forfeited his iPhone 13 and refunded N4m by bank draft, having admitted to romance scams valued between N5m and N10m.
Justice Dipeolu jailed David Damilola Ogunmuyiwa, one month and gave him an option of a N200,000 fine; he forfeited his iPhone 16 and refunded N70,000.
The court jailed Agada Prosper for three months and imposed an option of N200,000 fine, ordering that he should forfeit his iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Awal Yusuf was jailed for three months and got an option of N700,000 fine, he also forfeited his iPhone 11 and $300 cheque after benefitting $600 from fraud.
Amsa Lawal Oluwatobi, sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with an option of N300,000 fine, and forfeited his iPhone 13 and N200,000 cheque.
Yusuf Damilola was jailed for six months, with an option of N6m fine; he forfeited his iPhone 12 and N1m cheque after admitting to obtaining $6,000 Canadian dollars and $150.
Justice Dipeolu held that the prosecution had established its case beyond a reasonable doubt through the evidence adduced and the defendants’ voluntary admissions.
The court ruled that the sentences were to serve not only as punishment but also as deterrence to others engaging in cybercrime.
In the meantime, a ninth defendant who entered a plea of not guilty was remanded in custody pending the commencement of trial.
According to the commission, the offences committed contravened provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and the EFCC Act, 2004.
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