In a significant development, the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully prosecuted and obtained convictions for six individuals, including two undergraduates from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), for their involvement in internet fraud.
The convicted undergraduates, identified as Gbolahan Khalid Adesina and Perekebena Olombeni Micah, were brought before Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court in Osogbo, while the other four individuals faced separate charges before Justices O.A. Adetujoye and S.O. Adeyemi of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan.
The additional four convicts are Sholagbade Taofeek Olanrewaju, Qudus Olohunnoyin Baba, Akinpelu Quadri Opeyemi, and John Oluwafimihan Adeyemo.
Adesina and Micah were among eleven OAU undergraduates arraigned on November 6, 2023, before Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel on various counts of internet fraud. Initially pleading not guilty, the two later changed their pleas to guilty during the proceedings held on Tuesday, February 13, 2024.
The charges against Adesina included fraudulent impersonation of an individual named Monkenya Matlock, while Micah was accused of similarly impersonating an American female named Chad Frailey on Facebook.
Following their guilty pleas, the prosecution counsel, Umar Abiso, urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly. The other four defendants also pleaded guilty to the charges filed against them by the EFCC.
In his ruling, Justice Ayo-Emmanuel sentenced Adesina and Micah to one year imprisonment each without the option of a fine. Olanrewaju, Atanda, Opeyemi, and Adeyemo were sentenced to two weeks of community service each.
Furthermore, the court ordered the convicts to make restitution to their victims and forfeit all items recovered from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The convictions stem from the defendants’ involvement in internet-related offenses, particularly impersonating foreigners to defraud unsuspecting victims. Their sentencing underscores the commitment of law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime and uphold the rule of law.
