No fewer than five Internet fraudsters have been convicted by both federal and state high courts in Ibadan, Oyo State, and Osogbo, Osun State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in a statement on Tuesday by the Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said the cases were prosecuted by its Ibadan Zonal Command.
A final-year student of Transport Planning Management at the Tai Solarin University, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Amusa Oluwasegunfunmi, was sentenced to eight months’ community service for fraudulent impersonation.
Others are Ajisafe Olaide, Lawal Morenikeji, Osuolale Abiodun, and Olamilekan Taofeek.
The anti-graft agency said each of them was convicted for offences bordering on cyber-fraud.
Upon their arraignment, they pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them.
In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel urged the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Consequently, Justice Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, Osun State, convicted and sentenced Oluwasegunfunmi to eight months’ community service.
He was required to clean the toilets at the Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo, Osun State.
Also, the court ordered that the convict’s attendance register be kept by the school principal and submitted on completion of his term.
Similarly, Justice Iyabo Yerima of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, sentenced Olaide to six months’ community service for obtaining money under false pretences, contrary to Section 419 of the Criminal Code Cap. 38 Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
In the same vein, Justice Omolara Adeyemi of the Oyo State High Court convicted and sentenced Morenikeji to six months’ community service; Abiodun and Taofeek got one-week community service each, as their offences violated Section 484 of the Criminal Code Cap. 38 Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The courts ordered that the convicts restitute to their victims and forfeit all items recovered from them to the Federal Government.
