Mohammed Abubakar, judge of a federal high court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun state, has sentenced 16 persons to jail for internet fraud, criminal impersonation and possession of documents under false pretences.
In a statement issued by Dele Oyewale, EFCC head of media and publicity, on Saturday the convicts, who are in their mid 20s, all pleaded guilty to one-count charge of impersonation filed in separate motions against them by the Ibadan zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
After taking the pleas, Bashir Shamsuddeen and Abdulrasheed Suleiman, the prosecution counsel, prayed the court to convict them accordingly.
This was followed by a guilty verdict handed down by the court.
EFCC listed the convicts as Ajibola Ibikunle, Victor Solomon Osahun, Adeniyi Afeez Adebayo, Enitan Babajide Ganiu, Ashore Gbogbo Ayo and Sobayo Oladapo.
Others are Odebode Abiola Jamiu, Dairo Emmanuel Olajide, Stephen Mathew, Hussain Abdulkabir, Ayanniyi Quadri Ayansegun, Ajibike Kehinde Segun, Ibironke Tomiwa Emmanuel, Agboola Olanrewanju Shakiru, Abdulrauf Adam Opeyemi and Akinlabi Royal Ebube.
A breakdown of their prison sentences showed that Odebode was sentenced to two months; Ajibola, Osahun, Adebayo, Enitan, Ashore, Matthew, Ajibike and Akinlabi were sentenced to three months each, while Ayanniyi, Sobayo, Ibironke and Abdulrauf bagged four months each.
Dairo and Abdulkabir were handed six months jail term each, while Agboola was sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment.
The convicts will forfeit all items recovered from them to the federal government, and also “restituted sundry sums to their respective victims”.
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