Kwara court slams two-year jail term on herder for romance scam

A high court in Kwara state has convicted Tunde Olagunju, a herder based in Tanzania, and two others for offences bordering on love scam and cybercrime.

The two other convicts are Hassan Gafar Olarewaju, 29, and Ojo Basit Adewale, an Ilorin-based bricklayer.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin zonal command, had arraigned the trio on separate charges on Monday, September 20, 2021.

They all pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them.

Upon their admittance of guilt, Sikiru Oyinloye, the judge, convicted the defendants.

He sentenced 33-year-old Olagunju to two years’ imprisonment with an option of a fine of N650,000 and ordered that the sum of $1,500 which he benefited from the crime as well as the iPhone used to perpetrate the crime be forfeited to the federal government.

Similarly, Ojo was sentenced to one year in prison on count one with an option of fine of N250,000 and another one year on count two with an option of fine of N250,000.

According to the judge, the custodial sentences will run concurrently, “but if the convict prefers the option of fine, he shall pay the fine on both counts.”

The court also ordered the forfeiture of Ojo’s silver-coloured Toyota Camry 2009 model with registration number LSR 431 GV, which he acquired with the proceed of unlawful activities, gold iPhone 12 pro and $200 which he benefited from the crime to the federal government.

Also, Hassan was sentenced to one year in prison with an option of a fine of N300,000. The convict was ordered to forfeit the iPhone XR recovered from him at the point of arrest to the federal government.