Adeite John Olaniyi

A Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Friday, June 14, 2019 convicted two internet fraudsters and sent them to jail. The convicts are Dauda Abdulsemiu Opeyemi and Adeite John Olaniyi.

The presiding Justice Ibrahim Watilat found them guilty of fraudulent impersonation in a one-count amended charge filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office.

In line with the content of the plea bargain agreements reached with the Commission, the duo had pleaded guilty to the amended charge.

Fraudulent impersonation offends section 22 (2) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015, and punishable under section 22 (2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.

Having pleaded guilty to the charge, the EFCC’s counsel, Shamsudeen Bashir, prayed the court to convict the defendants in accordance with the proposal in the plea bargain agreement.

But, the judge endeavoured to give the defendants’ respective counsel, Tunde Lawal and Beauty Ekah, the opportunity to raise objection to the prosecutor’s prayer, if any, the opportunity was not availed of.

Consequently, Justice Watilat sent Dauda to two months jail, while slamming Olaniyi with five months in prison.

Dauda would restitute the sum of $500 to his victim through the Federal Government of Nigeria. As well as forfeiting his blue Tecno phone and a black HP Laptop.

In the same vein, Olaniyi was ordered to restitute the sum of $750, and forfeit his one black Honda Accord car, one Hp laptop and one Iphone X-Max to the FG.