The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, secured the conviction of the trio of Seun Omotayo Oladele, Dauda Sodiq Adegoke and Yusuf Idris Damola before Justices Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, Osun State and Omolara Adeyemi of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State.
They were arraigned on separate one count charges for bordering on cybercrime.
The charge against Oladele reads, “That you, Seun Omotayo Oladele “M” on or about the 6th day of May, 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently impersonated one Kate Michael via your Google Gmail account with Gmail address kate43620@gmail.com with intent to gain monetary advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) of the same Act.”
The charge against Damola reads: “ That you, Yusuf Idris Damola “M” on or about the 29th day of October, 2021 at Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained the total sum of $2,667.09 (Two Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty Seven United States Dollars, Nine Cent) through your Bitcoin Wallet from an unsuspecting victim from United States of America by falsely representing that you are a female by the name Karly Holman, and other pretences, which you knew to be false, and obtaining property by false pretence contrary to Section 419 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
The charge against Adegoke reads, “That you, Dauda Sodiq Adegoke on or about the 29th day of October, 2021 at Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, impersonated John Marshall, a white man from the United State of America, an offence contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
They pleaded “guilty” to the charges filed against them by the EFCC.
Upon their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Samsuddeen Bashir and Sanusi Galadanchi urged the courts to convict and sentence them as charged.
Justice Ayo-Emmanuel convicted and sentenced Oladele to six months community service that will involve the cleaning of toilets at Criminal Investigation Department, Osun State Police Command in Osogbo for six months.
Similarly, Justice Adeyemi convicted and sentenced Dauda Sodiq Adegoke and Yusuf Idris Damola to six months community service each.
Also, the convicts were ordered to restitute their victims and forfeit all items recovered from them to the Federal Government.