The Ilorin Division of the Kwara State High Court on Thursday convicted Christopher Adetuberu, a National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) member serving in Ogbomosho, Oyo state, for offences bordering on internet fraud.

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the conviction.

Justice Ibrahim Yusuf said that Mr Adetuberu, 28, was found guilty of the two-count of cyber-crime preferred against him.

Mr Yusuf sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment with N200,000 as option of fine, adding that his conviction would serve as a deterrent to others.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of a 3-bedroom flat acquired with the proceeds of the illegal activities.

Other items forfeited include a Lexus car, different brands of cellphones, a laptop, as well as the sum N921,535.49 found in his bank account to the Federal Government.

Mr Adetuberu, an indigene of Ilesha, Ilesha West Local Government Area of Osun was arrested at Ogele area of Eyenkorin, Ilorin.

The convict had in the course of investigation revealed that he ventured into ‘Yahoo Yahoo Business’ in 2016 and had among other things built a house with the proceeds of the illegal activities.

In a related development, Mr Yusuf has sentenced a 30-year-old aluminium fabricator, Saheed Olayiwola to six months custodial imprisonment at the Correctional Centre in Ilorin

Mr Olayiwola, who hails from Olorunda Local Government Area, Osogbo, Osun was sentenced without option of fine for acting as ‘loader’ to co-fraudsters.

The court also ordered forfeiture of the Toyota Camry car recovered at the point of his arrest, his cellphone and a laptop, which are instruments of the illegal activities to the Federal Government.

Mr Yusuf, in his judgement, said that the defendant was found guilty of one-count charge of possessing funds which he knew to be proceeds of unlawful activities preferred against him by the anti-graft agency.

The judge said that he found merit in the prosecution’s case, adding that the admittance of guilt by the defendant was enough evidence to convict him. 

(NAN)