Court convicts three, forfeits N17.2m over cyber fraud in Oyo

Glory Ebomah

A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday, June 24, 2022, convicted the trio of Olashoju Mohammed Abiodun, Eniatimo Oludare Samson and Olaniran Abiodun for internet-related fraud.

The convicts were arraigned on separate one count of offences relating to cyber-fraud.

The charge against Abiodun reads: “That you, Olashoju Mohammed Abiodun ‘M’ (aka Clara Walta) sometime in 2021, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, impersonated one Clara Walta, a Brazilian woman by which you obtained benefits and gained the advantage, a pretext which you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015.”

The charge against Samson reads: “That you, Eniatimo Oludare Samson sometime in July 2021 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, knowingly impersonated one Clifford Allen, when you falsely represented yourself as such to one Natasha Stansel Laird via your Gmail Account in order to gain advantage for yourself contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) of the same Act.”

The charge against Abiodun reads: “That you, Olaniran Abiodun sometime in 2020, within the jurisdiction of this Honourabel Court, did aid some suspected internet fraudsters now at large to commit a felony, to wit: impersonation, to gain advantage for themselves and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 (1) (b) and punishable under Section 27 (2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015.”

They pleaded “guilty” to the charges preferred against them.

Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the prosecution counsel, Abdulrasheed Suleiman reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered documents as evidence and urged the court to convict and sentence them as charged.

Consequently, Justice Agomoh convicted and sentenced Abiodun to nine months imprisonment, Samson five months imprisonment while Abiodun bagged seven months jail term.

Also, the court ordered that Samson pay the sum of N11, 733, 248.74 (Eleven Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Three Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty-Eight Naira, Seventy-Four Kobo) warehoused in his First Bank account and the sum of N153, 647.67 (One Hundred and Fifty-Three Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty-Seven Naira, Sixty-Seven Kobo) found in his United Bank of Africa account as restitution.