Justice Bayo Taiwo of Oyo State High Cout and Justice Mohammed Abubakar of Federal High Court Abeokuta have altogether convicted seven men arrested and charged by the Ibadan Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on one count charge of impersonation.
The convicts were found guilty of fraudulent impersonation, contrary to section 22(2) (b) (i) and (ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 and sentenced to various jail terms.
According to a statement by EFCC’s Head, Media & Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, all those convicted pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of impersonation separately filed against them by the EFCC Ibadan zonal office.
Their ‘guilty’ plea was part of the plea bargain agreement with the Commission.
After taking their pleas, prosecution counsel, Oyelakin Oyediran and Shamsuddeen Bashir requested the court to convict them accordingly.
Justice Bayo Taiwo of Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan convicted and sentenced one Opeyemi Adedamola (a.k.a James Marion), to three months of community service. Adedamola was found guilty of a lone count charge of impersonation.
The offence is contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
He was ordered to restitute the sum of $700 USD (Seven Hundred United States Dollars) to his victim.
The convicts are to forfeit all items recovered from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Similarly, Justice Abubakar also convicted and sentenced them to terms ranging from three to four months with an option of fines ranging from N50,000 to N100,000.
The court also ordered the convicts to restitute their victims in the following sums: Adeleke -$700 (Seven Hundred United States Dollars); Oshoboke – $2,000(Two thousand United States Dollars); Oyebanji – $287 (Two Hundred and Eighty-Seven US Dollars); Disu – $2,830 (Two Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty United Dollars) and Adebola – N2, 813,749:00 (Two Million Eight Hundred and Thirteen Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty-Nine Naira)
