Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Monday convicted six persons over offences bordering on cybercrime, impersonation and other internet-related fraud.
The Convicts are Adeshina Wasiu, a welder based in Offa; Hammed Akorede Hammed, who currently operates a barber shop in Offa; Komolafe Shina David from Ilesha East Local Government Area of Osun and Fatimehin Kayode from Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Others are Adetoye Damilare Timilehin from Boluwaduro Local Government Area of Osun State and Adebayo Ridwan Abiola from Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State.
Counsels to the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Innocent Mbachie, Aliyu Adebayo and Rasheedat Alao prosecuted the cases on behalf of the commission.
The defendants, who were prosecuted on separate charges by the anti-graft agency before the court, pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
Read Also Nigerians Thrown Into Darkness As National Grid Collapses Again
Following their guilty pleas, the EFCC tendered from the bar iPhones, laptops, extra-judicial statements of the defendants and several incriminating documents printed out of their devices and were admitted in evidence after defence counsels raised no objection to the admissibility of the exhibits.
The prosecuting counsels thereafter urged the court to convict the defendants as charged.
In his judgement on the cases, Justice Sani said the prosecution had successfully established the cases against the defendants and pronounced each of them guilty of their respective charges.
The judge sentenced Wasiu to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only) and ordered that the iPhone 11 Promax which the convict used to perpetrate the crime as well as the sum of $50 (Fifty United States Dollars), which he raised as restitution forfeited to the Federal Government.
The court also sentenced Hammed to six months imprisonment with an option of a fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only). The convict was ordered to forfeit the iPhone S plus which he used to perpetrate the crime and to also restitute his victim for the sum of $100 (One Hundred United States Dollars).
In the same vein, Justice Sani sentenced Komolafe to six months imprisonment on each of the three counts against him with the option of a fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira Only). The sentences are to run concurrently while the total sum of N150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira Only) would be paid if the convicts prefer the option of a fine.
The judge sentenced Fatimehin to a prison term of six months with the option of a fine of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira Only). The convict is to restitute the sum of $200 (Two Hundred United States Dollars), which he benefited from his unlawful activities and also forfeit his iPhone 6S used to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.
Adetoye bagged six months imprisonment on each of the two counts preferred against him with the option of a fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only) for each count. The court ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone X and the sum of $750 (Seven Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars) which he raised as restitution to the Federal Government.
Justice Sani equally sentenced Adebayo to six months imprisonment with an option of a fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only). The court also ordered the forfeiture of one iPhone XR which the convict used to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.
