Justices M.O. Ishola, O.A. Lajide of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State and S.O. Adeniyi of the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta, has sentenced seven internet fraudsters to various jail terms.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a statement on its official X handle on Monday said its Ibadan zone arraigned the convicts on one-count separate charge each.

The statement read, “The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the conviction and sentencing of seven internet fraudsters to various jail terms.

“The convicts: Adio Peter Olakunle, Adebanjo Oluwafemi Samuel, Ezekiel Papi Kolawole, Lukman Olakunle Alabi, Sakiru Olamilekan Usman, Godwin Moses Abaka and Amosu Oladele Gbenon were arraigned on one-count separate charge each before Justices M.O. Ishola, O.A. Lajide of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan and S.O. Adeniyi of the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta.

“One of the charges reads: “That you, Amosu Oladele Gbenonu, ‘M’  on or about October 12, 2023 in Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud one Karl Ackman, did falsely represent yourself to be Sarah Williams, a white woman from the United States of America with google account: sarah.dawkwills241@gmail.com, which representation you knew to be false, thereby committed the offence of impersonation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

“The defendants pleaded “guilty” to the charges preferred against them by the EFCC. Consequently, facts of the cases were reviewed and several incriminating documents were tendered before the courts by the prosecution counsels, urging the courts to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.

“After listening to the prayers of counsels, Justice Lajide convicted and sentenced Gbenonu, Abaka, Usman and Kolawole to six months of community service each, while Alabi was sentenced to two months of community service.

“Also, Justice Ishola convicted and sentenced Samuel to six months community service and Justice Adeniyi sentenced Olakunle to four months community service.

“Furthermore, Justice Lajide ordered Gbenonu to pay the sum of N2million, Abaka to pay N1million, Usman to pay N800,000.00k (Eight hundred thousand naira) and Kolawole to pay the sum of N400,000.00 K (Four hundred thousand naira) as fines alongside their jail terms respectively.

“Also, the convicts were ordered to restitute their various victims and forfeit all items recovered from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria. They began their journey to the Correctional Centre when they were arrested by operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC for internet-related offences.  They were investigated, prosecuted and convicted,” it added.