Date: 2021-07-28

The Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, July 27, 2021 secured the conviction one Abubakar Abdulbasit Opeyemi, a final year Student of the University of Ilorin and two other undergraduate students charged with offences bordering on love scam and internet fraud.

They two other convicts are Alimi Abiodun and Idowu Rasaq Olarewaju, who are students of the Kwara State University, KWASU, Molete and Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, respectively.

Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin convicted and sentenced the three undergraduates to various jail terms after the court found them guilty of various offences preferred against them by the EFCC. The three convicts, who were arraigned on separate charges pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against them.

In his judgment on the cases today, Justice Abdulgafar while relying on the plea of guilt entered by the defendants and the various exhibits tendered against them held that the prosecution succeeded in proving its case beyond reasonable doubts. Consequently, Abdulbashit Opeyemi was sentenced to six months imprisonment, which shall be suspended for one year. The judge also ordered that the convict's iPhones, HP Laptop which were used as instruments in committing the crime and a draft of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) which he raised as restitution be forfeited to the Federal Government

In sentencing Abiodun, the judge gave him three months imprisonment on count one and one year imprisonment on count two, which shall be suspended for one year. He also ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone and the sum of N352, 000 (Three Hundred and Fifty Two Thousand Naira) draft raised by him (the convict) to the Federal Government.

For Idowu, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced him to six months imprisonment, which shall be suspended for six months. He also ordered the forfeiture of his (the convict) 2014 Toyota Venza, 2 iPhones, HP Laptop, the sum of N404, 414.93 (Four Hundred and Four Thousand, Four Hundred and Fourteen Naira, Ninety Three Kobo) in his First Bank account to the Federal Government. "The sentences are without option of fine", the judge added.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media & Publicity

27 July, 2021