From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Justice Iyabo Yerima of an Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, has convicted two internet fraudsters and sentenced them to nine months of community service.
The two convicts, Adisa Adegboyega and Ganiyu Olalekan, had been dragged to the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibadan Command for internet-related fraud.
The Head of Media and Publicity of the anti-graft commission, Wilson Uwujaren, stated that Adisa, 23, who claimed to be an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) holder from a polytechnic in Oyo State, was sentenced to six months community service, while Ganiyu, 18, an artisan, also bagged three months community service.
The charge against Adisa read in part:
‘That you, Adisa Adebayo Adegboyega on or about the 17th of November, 2020, at Ibadan within the Ibadan Judicial Division of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of Eight Hundred United States Dollars ($800 USD) only through gift cards from one Herby Ruiter by falsely representing to him that you are a 45 years old white American nurse working in Cyprus, who goes by the name Jennifer Joel and who is in love with him and ready to marry him, which representations you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence.’
The offence is contrary to Section 419 of the Criminal Code, Cap.C38, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000 charges. The judge also ordered Adisa to restitute to his victim; Herby De Ruiter the $USD2,045 only through the Federal Government of Nigeria, and to also forfeit his Techno Spark 4 mobile phone and one Dell Laptop to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The court also ordered that Ganiyu should restitute $USD250 to his victim, David Govann, through the EFCC and forfeit an iPhone 6x mobile phone to the Federal Government of Nigeria.