Nigeria's anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says it has secured the conviction and sentencing of 13 internet fraudsters with various jail terms.
The EFCC which disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by its Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, that the accused were arraigned before Justices Ladiran Akintola and A.O. Lajide of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan and Justice B.B. Adebowale of the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta respectively on one count charge each bordering on cybercrime.
The convicts according to EFCC spokesperson, are "Ibikunle Innocent, Akerele Ayobami Emmanuel, Olawale Iskilu Odunmbaku, Abubakry Oluwapelumi Faruk, Samson Omotolani Adepeko,"
Others are "Ademola Lateef Babatunde, Afeez Babalola Bolaji, Akinlade Gbemileke Samson, Arowolo Ololade Abdulazeez, Kadiri Oluwasegun Abdulsodiq, Bamgbade Clement Oluwadamilare, Abiodun Olukoya Ibrahim and Sotunde Tobi Okikiola."
Uwujaren said that upon their arraignments, by its Ibadan Zonal Office, they all pleaded “guilty” to the charges filed against them.
Consequently, prosecution counsels - Modupe Akinkoye, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, Shamsudeen Bashir, Adamu Sahabi, Ibukun Olatinwo, A.M. Aliyu, Umar Abiso, Odemuyiwa Damilare, Fatima Baba and Z.M. Tijani reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered several documents that were admitted as exhibits and prayed the courts to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
The statement partly read, "Justice Akintola, after listening to the prayers, convicted and sentenced Akerele to one year imprisonment and a N250,000 fine; Okikiola, six months community service and a N250,000 fine; Olukoya, one year imprisonment or N100,000 fine, while Oni was sentenced to two years imprisonment or N250,000 fine.
"Also, Justice Lajide convicted and sentenced Bamgbade, Bolaji, Babatunde, Adepeko, Faruk and Odunmaku to six months community service each while Justice Adebowale convicted and sentenced Abdulrasaq, Arowolo and Akinlade to three months imprisonment each without an option of fine.
"The convicts were ordered to restitute their victims and forfeit all items recovered including two Toyota Venza vehicles to the Federal Government of Nigeria."