Date: 2021-10-30

A Kwara State high court sitting in Ilorin has sentenced two persons charged for cheating by impersonation and internet fraud offences.

The convicts, Idowu Aiyedogbon and Okunlola Michael Blessing, who were prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Mahmoud Abdulgafar, pleaded guilty to the charge.

Following their plea of guilt, Counsel to the anti-graft agency, Andrew Akoja, called witnesses who are operatives of the commission to establish the culpability of the defendants in the crime.

He tendered some evidence including the confessional statements of the defendants, fraudulent messages printed out of their phones as well as the device used in perpetrating the crime which were admitted in evidence by the court.

Thereafter, Akoja urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants based on their plea of guilt, testimonies of the prosecution witnesses and exhibits tendered.

Delivering judgement, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Aiyedogbon to six months jail term on counts one and two, to run concurrently with an option of N200,000 fine on each count.

The trial judge also ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone 11 Pro max, apple MacBook laptop used as instruments of the crime and the sum of 1,040 US dollars which he benefitted from the unlawful activities to the Federal government.

Justice Abdulgafar, also sentenced Blessing to six months suspended jail term and ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone 12 Pro Max, Infinix hot 8, and LG laptop to the Federal government.