Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office, on Monday, October 7, 2019, arrested 17 suspected internet fraudsters among whom were five who claimed to be students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti.
The suspects were arrested in Ado-Ekiti, following meticulous consideration of intelligence reports detailing their alleged involvement in internet fraud and other related offenses.
Hitherto, operatives of the Commission in the zone had conducted preliminary investigations to ascertain the merits of the allegations against them and after establishing substantive facts, the commission sprang into action and effected the arrest.
While five of the suspects claimed to be students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, others said they were into various vocations.
Some items used in perpetrating the crime were recovered from them and registered as exhibits to be tendered in court. The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
In another development, the commission arraigned six alleged internet fraudsters before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Ibadan Judicial Division.
The accused persons are Hammed Muftau Adewale, Hammed Adebola Tobiloba, Olagunju Olayiwola Ojo, Adeagbo Adedeji Rasheed Abiodun, Arowojobe Taoreed Oluwaseun and Babatunde Abdulkudus Akorede.
The defendants were arraigned separately on sundry charges that border on forgery, fake representation, obtaining money under false pretence and Internet related offences.
They all pleaded not-guilty to their respective charges when read to them.
Due to their plea, EFCC counsels prayed the court for trial dates and order to remand them in prison pending the next adjourn dates for their cases.
The presiding judge granted the prayer as she adjourned the cases against Arowojobe, Babatunde and Hammed Muftau to October 21, 2019 for trial and/or plea bargain while ordering that they be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Service, Agodi.
For Hammed Adebola, Olagunju and Babatunde, their trial and/or plea bargain was scheduled for October 30. They are also to be remanded at the same correctionalservice till the adjourned date.