14th June, 2024
Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin has sentenced a Civil Engineer, Abeeb Uthman Jasola to six months imprisonment for offences bordering on cybercrime and retention of proceeds of crime.
Jasola was prosecuted alongside Oladimeji Abubakar Oseni and Victor Anuoluwapo Kayode by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate charges, to which they pleaded guilty.
Three other internet fraudsters: Parakoyi Raihan Tobiloba, Morenikeji Mazeed Ayomide and Solihu Abubakar Sodiq were also jailed.
Justice Olukayode Ariwoola of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin jailed Tobiloba Justice Anyadike of the same court convicted the duo of Ayomide and Solihu.
Jasola was arraigned on four- count charges bordering on internet fraud while the other five convicts were arraigned on one-count separate charges each.
Count one of the charge against Jasola reads: “That you, Abeeb Uthman Jasola, whilst a Picker between January 2021 and December 2022 at Ilorin within the judicial division of the Federal High Court, did take possession of the sum of N3,330,500.00 (Three Million, Three Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred Naira Only) transferred into your account number: 0243337682 domiciled with Wema Bank Plc. and which sum you knew directly represented the proceeds of crime of some persons, vz; Azeez Faruq Dolapo, Tawakalitu Modadeola, Zolman Technology etc and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) & (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004”.
The charge against Tobiloba reads:
“That you, Parakoyi Raihan Tobiloba between August 2021 and September 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain the control of the sum of N574,000.00 (Five Hundred and Seventy-Four Thousand Naira Only) in your bank account number: 3084039724 with the name: Parakoyi Raihan Tobiloba domiciled with First Bank Plc which you knew to be proceeds of criminal conduct and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) & (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004”.
They all pleaded guilty to their charges when they were read to them. Based on their pleas, prosecution counsel, Innocent Mbachie, Aliyu Adebayo prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Anyadike sentenced Jasola to two months imprisonment on each of the four counts with an option of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only) on each count.
In the same vein, Oseni and Kayode were convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment each with an option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only) each.
The court ordered that their phones including the sum of N500,000.00 and the title documents of a landed property recovered from Jasola be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Anyadike also convicted and sentenced Ayomide and Solihu to twelve months imprisonment each with an option of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only) and N300, 000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira Only) respectively.
The court also ordered that their phones including a car recovered from Solihu be forfeited to the Federal Government.
In another judgment, Justice Ariwoola convicted and sentenced Tobiloba to six months’ probation and ordered that the convict be made to swear an affidavit of good conduct and be reporting to the Chief Registrar of the court every last Thursday of the month within the next six months. The judge added that the convict would be given maximum punishment if he commits another offence during the period of probation.
All the convicts bagged their imprisonment when they were arrested by operatives of Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC for internet-related offences. They were charged to court and jailed.