From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
Three young men have been convicted and sentenced by a Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, for their involvement in internet-related fraud.
Justice Abimbola Awogboro, who presided over the court recently, handed down the judgment against Ibrahim Oladimeji, Hassan Temitope, and Babatunde Olusegun after they pleaded guilty to charges filed by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC said in a statement released by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, that the trio faced separate charges bordering on cybercrime and impersonation.
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One of the convicts, Hassan Temitope, was accused of defrauding an American citizen of $2,500 by impersonating a woman named Jane, through a fake online profile.
Following their guilty pleas, EFCC counsel, Rashidat Alao, presented evidence including their confessional statements and items recovered at the time of arrest.
She urged the court to convict and impose appropriate sentences.
Justice Awogboro, sentenced Temitope to 700 hours of community service without the option of a fine.
He also ordered the forfeiture of a 2009 Toyota Camry and an iPhone 12, both considered proceeds and tools of the crime, to the federal government.
Ibrahim Oladimeji was sentenced to 150 hours of community service. He also forfeited an iPhone 12 Pro and $100, identified as proceeds from the fraud.
Similarly, Babatunde David Olusegun received a 150-hour community service sentence and also lost an iPhone 12 and $75 to the government.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to cleaning up the digital space from fraudulent elements and called on Nigerian youths to shun internet crime.
“There is no shortcut to success,” the Commission noted, adding that “honest labour is the only path to lasting dignity.”
