Court jails 3 for cybercrime

Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ilorin, convicted and sentenced Ibrahim Ajisafe Oladimeji, Hassan Abdulmalik Temitope, and Babatunde David Olusegun for fraud-related offences.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media & Publicity at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), revealed that the trio were prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC on separate charges relating to impersonation and cybercrime.

The charge against Temitope reads: “That you, Hassan Abdulmalik Temitope (alias: Jane), sometime in 2024, within the Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, did fraudulently impersonate one Jane via your created 2 Backpage account with the intent to obtain, and did obtain, from one John Gary the gross sum of $2,500 (Two Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars), thereby committing an offence 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 accused pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them. Prosecution counsel Rashidat Alao led witnesses in presenting evidence, including extra-judicial statements and items recovered at the point of arrest, urging the court to convict and sentence accordingly.

Justice Awogboro sentenced Oladimeji to 150 hours of community service on each charge, to be served at five hours per day, without the option of a fine.

In addition, Oladimeji forfeited his iPhone 12 Pro, identified as the instrument of his crime, and the sum of $100 (One Hundred United States Dollars), representing the proceeds of his offence, to the federal government.

Temitope was sentenced to 700 hours of community service, also without the option of a fine, to be served at five hours per day.

He forfeited his iPhone 12, the tool of his crime, and a 2009 Toyota Camry, representing the proceeds of his offence, to the federal government.

Olusegun received a sentence of 150 hours of community service at five hours per day, without an option of a fine.

He also forfeited his iPhone 12, the instrument of his crime, and the sum of $75 (Seventy-Five United States Dollars), the proceeds of his offence, to the federal government.