Two persons were on Tuesday convicted by a Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin over impersonation and identity theft.
The convicts, Fuad Abidemi Olowo, who hails from Abayawo, Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State and Adepoju Pelumi Emmanuel, were prosecuted on separate charges by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Muhammed Sanni.
The offence according to the anti-graft agency is contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.
The duo who were arraigned on two and one count charges respectively pleaded guilty to the charges against them.
Fuad, was one of the 30 suspected internet fraudsters arrested on May 4, 2021, at the Unigate Hostel, Tanke Area, Ilorin during a sting operation by operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC.
Investigation revealed that the 400 Level Plant Biology student of the University of Ilorin presented himself as an American Musician; Rick Ross, to deceive unsuspecting victims.
On the other hand, Adepoju from Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, was accused of using the identity of one Kelvin Montalvo, while presenting himself as a military man and a gym instructor living in California to deceive his victims.
Following the plea of guilt entered by the defendants, Prosecuting Counsel, Andrew Akoja, urged the Court to consider the extra-judicial statements of the defendants, the guilty plea and exhibits tendered through the investigating officer as well as the provisions of the law to convict the defendants.
Justice Sani, after evaluating the facts and the evidence placed before the court, pronounced the duo of Fuad and Adepoju guilty.
The judge sentenced Fuad to six months imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently with N200,000 fine option on each of the two counts.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of an iPhone XR used in perpetuating the crime to the Federal Government.
In the same vein, Justice Sani sentenced Adepoju to one-year imprisonment with an option of N300,000 fine.
According to the judge, the convict would forfeit the HP Laptop and Tecno Spark 4 phone that were used to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.
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