Oyo court sentences two to prison for internet fraud

Two residents of Oyo state have been sentenced to prison for internet fraud.

Wilson Uwujaren, spokesman for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a statement, said the convicts were also asked to forfeit cars and other items found in their possession.

Uwujaren said the Ibadan zonal offices of the EFCC secured the convictions on Monday.

“Samuel Owolabi (a.k.a. Dr. Keilah Forgey), and Akinrinmade Sunday were convicted by Justice Patricia Ajoku of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, of charges of fraudulent impersonation, contrary to Section 22 (3) (a) and 22 (2) (a) of the cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015, and punishable under the same Act,” the statement reads.

The EFCC media officer stated that Owolabi was sentenced to one year and seven months imprisonment, while Akinrinmade was sentenced to three months in prison.

“The court also ordered Owolabi to forfeit a Toyota Lexus RX300 SUV, Toyota Lexus RX330 SUV, one silver-coloured Macbook air laptop, one grey coloured Apple smart wristwatch, two LG television sets, one white coloured IPhone X, one white Apple mouse, and two flash drives,” the EFCC spokesman said.

“Akinrinmade was ordered by the court to forfeit the sum of N986,855:85k from his bank account and one iPhone 11 Pro Max Plus, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Also, at the Oyo state high court, Bayo Taiwo, the judge, sentenced one Azeez Akinkunmi to three months of community service over a one-count charge of obtaining property by false pretence.

Taiwo was ordered to return the sum of $110 to his victim, Mike Anderson, through the EFCC.