Glory Ebomah
The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, March 24, 2022, secured the conviction of one Alarape Toheeb from Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State for offences that border on cybercrime.
Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court, Ilorin convicted and sentenced Alarape to 18 (Eighteen) months imprisonment, having found him guilty of the three count charges levelled against him by the EFCC.
The defendant was among the 30 (thirty) suspected internet fraudsters arrested in Ogbomosho area of Oyo State on October 26, 2021, during a sting operation by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC.
Head, Media, and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said upon arraignment, Alarape pleaded guilty to the three count charges brought against him.
Following the guilty plea entered by the defendant, prosecuting counsel, Sesan Ola, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered the extra-judicial statements of the defendant as well as the iPhone X max and Infinix hot 9 phones recovered from him at the point of arrest and several fraudulent documents printed from his devices which were admitted in evidence.
Prosecuting counsel urged the Court to consider the plea of guilt entered by the defendant, his extra-judicial statements, and all other exhibits tendered and uphold the case of the prosecution.
Justice Sani in his judgement said the court found merit in the case of the prosecution and pronounced the defendant guilty of all three counts.
The court sentenced Alarape to six months imprisonment on counts 1,2 and 3 which are to run concurrently with the option of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira Only) on each count.
Justice Sani further ordered that the two phones which he used to perpetrate the crime and the sum of $350 (Three Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars) which he benefited from his unlawful activities be forfeited to the Federal Government.