Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has sentenced Adigun Oludele, a final year student of the University of Ilorin, to one year imprisonment for internet fraud.
The court also ordered that the sum of #158, 000 domiciled in the convict’s GTB account that was found to be proceed of unlawful transactions as well as his Lexus IS250 with registration number KJA 141 GU Lagos be forfeited to the Nigerian Government.
Also forfeited to Government were the convict’s iPhone 12, iPhone 7, Apple watch and 2 laptops, which were recovered from him at the point of arrest.
Adigun, 25, was prosecuted on two counts by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
He fraudulently obtained the sum of $6,3280.00 as benefit from the Ohio Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Portal of the United States of America.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Adigun Oludele and one Ganiu Samson (at large) sometime between December 2020 and June, 2021 at Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud did cheat by personation via the Ohio Pandemic Unemployment Assistance portal, U.S.A for which $6, 328.00 was paid as benefits and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code Law and punishable under Section 324 of the same Law.”
The Defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.
Following his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Andrew Akoja, urged the court to convict the defendant. The defence counsel, T.A Hammed, did not oppose this position.
In his judgment, Justice Oyinloye said, ”This Honourable Court have not seen any reason why the defendant should not be convicted as the prosecution has placed enough materials before the court to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt”.
The judge consequently pronounced Adigun guilty and sentenced him to one year imprisonment with option of fine of N250,000.
Mercy Chukwudiebere