A Director of Logistics of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Federal University, Oye-Ekiti Chapter, Adeyemi Israel-Abiodun has been sentenced to one-year imprisonment for N195 million internet fraud.
The 200-level student of Economics and Development Studies was arrested by the operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on March 30, 2022, alongside 79 others in a sting operation at Sango area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
A statement on Wednesday by the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said Mr Abiodun was convicted alongside 40 other suspects on separate one-count charges before four judges of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan.
Investigations revealed that, between July 2021 and March 2022, Abiodun benefited N195, 274, 331.00 as a cumulative heist from cyber-fraud involving forgery of over 25 US banks cheques.
He said their offences bordered on impersonation, obtaining money under false pretence, obtaining property by false pretence and forgery contrary to Sections 419, 467, 484, 516 and 508 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The other convicts are Yekeen Azeez Ishola, Okeniyi Samuel Akiniyi, Theophilus Ademola Bukola, Salami Mohammed Adetayo, Pelumi Ajayi Temiloluwa, Lawal Abdullateef Olalekan, Okusanwo Mayowa Daniel, Oluwole Oluwasegun Ayomide, Adedotun Omodele Yusuf, Monday Nnaemeka Samuel, Idowu Adeshina, Olowe Nifemi Ayomide, Adubu Olamiotan Sunday, Kehinde Olatunji Kehinde, Oguntuase Tope Francis, Elijah Isaac Wisdom, Ogbanaya Chukwu Chukwu, Adekola Adekunle, Odebode Temiloluwa Kehinde, Joseph Odunayo Clement, Andrew Adekunle Masika, Usman Mubarak Damilare, Isiaka Olumide Hammed, Uawu Osita Henry, Kareem Afeez Alabi and Ogunyemi Ayobami Samuel.
Others include Mimiola Victor Olamide, Adeeko Kolade Emmanuel, Egberongbe Adedayo Quam, Oyelaran Olayiwola Jeremaih, Hammed Rilwan Ishola, Adefowora Omotayo David, Adedeji Ibrahim Olamilekan, Emmanuel Timileyin Akinbowale, Michael Damola Olanrewaju, Ayanyemi Olaide Samuel, Boye Timilehin Emmanuel, Timileyin Ajibola Idowu and Azeez Tolulope Ayoade.
Abiodun was arraigned before Justice Iyabo Yerima while thirty-nine others were prosecuted before Justices Bayo Taiwo, Akintola Ladiran and Olusola Adetujoye between August 15, 2022 and August 23, 2022.
The one count charge against Abiodun reads: “That you, Adeyemi Israel Abiodun and Odaise Precious Abiola (aka Prezzy) (at large) on or about 30th March, 2022 at Ibadan, within the Ibadan Judicial Division did conspire to forge various United States of America Banks Cheques and purport same to be genuine and thereby committed the offence of conspiracy to commit forgery contrary to Section 516 and 467 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
Mr Abiodun and the others pleaded “guilty” to the charges filed against them by the EFCC.
In view of their guilty pleas, the prosecution counsel, Modupe Akinkoye, Oyelakin Oyediran, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, Chidi Okoli, Abdulrasheed Suleiman, Mabas Mabur and Samsuddeen Bashir reviewed the facts of the cases, tendered confessional statements and documents recovered from the convicts as exhibits, urging the courts to convict and sentence the defendants as charged.
Consequently, Abiodun, Daniel and Ayomide were convicted and sentenced to one-year imprisonment each without the “option of fine”, while Akiniyi bagged three months jailed term and six months community service.
Other defendants were convicted and sentenced to six months community service each.
Furthermore, the court ordered Mr Abiodun to pay the sum of $1,000USD in restitution and forfeit a white Mercedes Benz CLA-250 with customized NANS plate number worth 16 Million, a gold neck chain and one ice neck chain worth N3.6million, bitcoin worth $58, 854.88USD, one Apple MacBook Pro 2020 Model and an iPhone 12 Pro Max to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Other convicts were ordered to restitute their victims and forfeit all items recovered from them.
