By Hammed Shittu
A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin yesterday jailed two persons that posed as military officers of United States of America (USA) over offences bordering on love scam and other internet-related fraud.
The two suspects, Mr. Akinrodolu Sunday and George Tobi were jailed alongside one Oluwajobi Victor on separate charges of fraud brought against them by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).
The convicts were among the 34 suspected internet fraudsters arrested in different locations in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State on March 8, 2021.
While Akinrodolu and George were posing to be US military officers to lure unsuspecting victims into online relationship, Olujobi was charged for attempt to defraud people seeking accommodation in USA.
The defendants admitted committing the crime and pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.
Items recovered from the defendants, including a Toyota Corolla Sport Car, iPhones, Ipad, bank draft and incriminating items printed from their devices, were tendered by Aliyu Adebayo and Rasheedat Alao, who prosecuted the cases for the commission and admitted in evidence by the court.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Mohammed Sanni sentenced Akinrodolu to six months imprisonment each on count one and two with option of fine of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) on each count.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone 7 and infinix 55 phone, which he used to perpetrate the crime as well as a Toyota Corolla Sport car acquired with the proceeds of his unlawful activities to the federal government.
Similarly, George was sentenced to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira). The iPhone 6s recovered from him at the point of arrest was also forfeited to the federal government.
In the same token, Justice Sanni sentenced Olujobi to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira).
The judge ordered that the iPhone 6 and IPad Air 2, which the convict used to perpetrate the crime be forfeited to the federal government.
