Sting Operation At OOPL: Court Jails Three For Internet Fraud In Lagos
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday secured the conviction and sentence of three internet fraudsters before Justice D.I.Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting, Lagos.
The convicts, Oyatokun Qudus, Adenekan AAyinde and Adisa Okikiade, were among the 93 suspected fraudsters arrested during a sting operation on Sunday at a hotel within the precincts of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State.
They were arraigned on separate one-count charge bordering on impersonation, identity and internet fraud.
They all pleaded “guilty” to the charges preferred against them.
In view of their guilty pleas, prosecution counsel, S.M.Yabo, called the investigative officers, Adamu Yakubu, Ilyasu Dauda and Umar Giade, to review the facts of the cases.
Yabo, thereafter, sought to tender, in evidence, the extra-judicial statements of the defendants, Ayinde’s iPhone 14 pro, Okikiade’s infinix smart phone used to perpetrate the crime, the N200,000 bank draft in restitution made by Ayinde as well as the forensic investigation documents printed from their devices.
They were all admitted as exhibits by the court.
The judge, in view of the defendants’ guilty pleas and evidence tendered by the prosecution, found them guilty and convicted them accordingly.
The defence counsel, respectively, pleaded with the judge to “temper justice with mercy,” adding that their clients were first-time offenders who have shown remorse.
Delivering judgment, Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced Qudus to one month imprisonment from the date of arrest, with the option of fine of N300,000.
The Judge also convicted and sentenced Ayinde, who benefited the sum of $180 from his criminal activities, to one month imprisonment, with the option of fine of N250,000.
The judge ordered that the iPhone 14 pro and the sum of N200,000 in restitution be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Okikiade was sentenced to one month imprisonment, with the option of N100,000 fine.
The judge also ordered that the Infinix smart phone recovered from him be forfeited to the federal government of Nigeria.