The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, September 16, 2021 secured the conviction of three serial fraudsters charged for offences bordering of cheating by personation, attempted cheating and internet fraud.
The convicts are Ayinde Qudus Olayemi, Ademola Samuel and Abdulazeez Faruk
Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin convicted and sentenced the defendants to various jail terms after he found them guilty of the separate charges brought against them.
The trio of Ayinde, Ademola and Abdulazeez, who were arraigned on separate charges of counts three, two and one, respectively pleaded guilty to their charge.
Sesan Ola, Innocent Mbachie and Rasheedat Alao who prosecuted for the EFCC in the case of Ayinde, Ademola and Faruq, respectively drew the attention of the court to the plea bargain agreements entered by the defendants, while tendering the confessional statements and other incriminating items recovered from the defendants in the course of investigation, from the bar.
The counsels urged the court to pass judgment based on the admittance of guilt by the defendants, their plea bargain agreements and the uncontroverted evidence tendered before the court.
In his judgment Justice Oyinloye held that based on the plea of guilt entered by the defendants and the plea bargain agreements, their extra-judicial statements as well as the unchallenged evidence placed before the court, the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Consequently, the judge found each of the defendants guilty and sentenced them.
Ayinde was sentenced to one year imprisonment on count one with option of fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only). One year imprisonment on count two with option of fine N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira Only) and one year imprisonment on count three with option of fine of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira Only). The court, in addition ordered that Ayinde’s Iphone 12 pro max used in perpetrating the crime and the manager’s cheque (bank draft) of N450,000 (Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira Only) which he raised as restitution to his victims be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Similarly, The Judge sentenced Ademola to one year imprisonment on count one with option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only) and one year imprisonment on count two with option of fine of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira Only). He also ordered that the iphone 11 pro, a black laptop which the convict used to perpetrate the crime and a manager’s cheque (bank draft) of N215,000 (Two Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Naira Only) raised by the convict as restitution to his victims be forfeited to the Federal Government.
By the same token, Justice Oyinloye sentenced Abdulazeez to one year imprisonment with option of fine of N350,000 (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira Only). The judge also ordered that the convict’s gold iphone used to perpetrate the crime and the sum of $326 (Three Hundred and Twenty Six USD) which he benefited from the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.