Seven internet scammers were found guilty and given varied prison sentences by Justice Bayo Taiwo of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan.
On August 8 and 9, 2022, the following prisoners were sentenced to prison: Ogunyemi Olajide Temitope, Olamilekan Fafiolu Quadri, Olamilekan Paul Akinyemi, Ayegbusi Ayokunle, Taiwo Azeez Dolapo, Adeogun Usman Oluwatobiloba, and Oyewumi Michael Oluwapelumi.
They were convicted after pleading guilty to one-count separate charge, upon their arraignment by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Oluwatoyin Owodunni and Mabars Mabur, the prosecution’s attorneys, asked the court to find the defendants guilty and sentence them accordingly based on their pleas.
After being found guilty, Justice Taiwo sentenced Temitope, Quadri, Akinyemi, and Ayokunle to six months of community service each. He also ruled that any convict who fails to report to their designated locations at any point during the six months of community service will be sentenced to three years in prison.
In addition, the judge condemned Dolapo and Oluwapelumi to six months of community service apiece after finding Oluwatobiloba guilty and sentencing her to six months in prison instead.
Also, the court ordered Temitope to pay the sum of $4,600USD (Four Thousand, Six Hundred United States Dollars) in restitution, Akinyemi $3,000USD (Three Thousand United States Dollars) and Quadri $1,000 (One Thousand United States Dollars).
Other convicts were also ordered to restitute their victims and forfeit all items recovered from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when they were arrested by operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC for internet-related offences. They were charged to court and convicted
