A Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has sentenced an undergraduate of Kwara State University, Malete in Moro Local Government Area of the state, Aderibigbe Sheu, to three years for posing as a widow to defraud unsuspecting victims.
The court presided by Justice Mohammed Sani found Sheu, a student of KWASU, who posed as a widow resident in the United States of America, guilty of defrauding unsuspecting victims and sentenced him accordingly.
The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, charged the convict with a single offence to which he pleaded guilty before the court.
He was charged by the anti-graft agency on one count of cybercrime and retention of proceeds of crime before Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin
Sheu, a native of Osogbo in Osun State Capital, was one of the 30 suspected internet fraudsters arrested in Malete, Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State on September 19, 2021, during a sting operation by operatives of the EFCC.
Following his ‘guilty plea’, counsel to the EFCC, Rasheedat Alao, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered the extra-judicial statements of the defendant including the phone, laptop, and other incriminating materials printed from his devices, which were admitted in evidence.
She urged the court to consider the guilty plea of the defendant, his extra-judicial statements, and all the exhibits tendered to convict the defendant as charged.
In his judgment, Justice Sani held that the court was satisfied with the evidence before it pronounced Aderibigbe guilty of the charge and sentenced him to 3 years with option N982,403 Only.
The court also ordered that the iPhone 7+ and laptop, which were used to perpetrate the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.
In the same vein, Justice Sani on Thursday, June 2, 2022, convicted one Awoleye Bolaji, who claimed to form Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State on an internet fraud-related offence.
Awoleye allegedly posed as one Karan Vanslack, an American lady, with the intent to defraud unsuspecting victims in contravention of Section 22 (2) (b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention) Act, 2015.
Upon the guilty plea by the defendant, counsel to the EFCC, Sesan Ola, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered one iPhone 6, the statements of the defendants, and all the fraudulent messages printed from his device, which were admitted in evidence.
Justice Sani sentenced the defendant to one year with the option of a fine of N100,000 only and ordered that the iPhone 6 which he used to perpetrate the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.
