A Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has sentenced Mathew Yaba, a 20-year-old electrician, and ten other persons to various jail terms for offences bordering on Internet fraud and cybercrime.
Presiding Judge Justice Abimbola Awogboro found Yaba guilty of personation and retaining proceeds of unlawful activities, sentencing him to nine months imprisonment without the option of a fine.
According to a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, Yaba was among 11 cybercrime convicts prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency.
Yaba was found guilty of retaining control of N7.38 million through his Kuda Bank account and impersonating one Raleigh Jredd.
The charge read in part: “You, Mathew Stephen Yaba… retained the control of N7,384,750.00 through your Kuda Bank account… knowing it to be proceeds of criminal conduct, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 17 of the EFCC Act, 2004.”
Other convicts include:
- Samuel Stephen Ayomide, who defrauded an American victim through Telegram, bagged nine months imprisonment without option of fine, forfeiting $535 and an iPhone 16.
- Bamidele Favour Olajide, a Kogi-based music producer, got six months jail without option of fine and forfeited an iPhone X, Samsung A05 and $50.
- Isah Kadiri was sentenced to 300 hours of community service, forfeiting an Infinix Hot 10 Light.
- Samuel Peter Juwon received 12 months imprisonment with final forfeiture of three iPhones, an HP laptop and $500.
- Omolaiye Stephen Benefit got nine months imprisonment, forfeiting phones and N1 million restitution.
- Kayode Emmanuel Opeyemi was sentenced to six months imprisonment, forfeiting his phone and N500,000.
- Abdulrahim Lasisi was handed 150 hours of community service and forfeited a Samsung S9.
- Ugwuadu Ikechukwu Michael got 12 months imprisonment, forfeiting N500,000 and his phones.
- Moshood Abduljawad received six months imprisonment and forfeited $190.
- Abdulrasaq Jubril, sentenced by Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, got six months suspended sentence, forfeiting an iPhone 12 and $180, with an order to pay an additional $110.
During the trial, EFCC counsels Aliyu Adebayo, Andrew Akoja, and Omolade Ajibola tendered extrajudicial statements, gadgets recovered, and money restituted, all of which were admitted as evidence.
The judges ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, relying on the defendants’ guilty pleas and unchallenged evidence.
Justice Awogboro ordered the final forfeiture of all recovered devices and funds to the Federal Government.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to tackling cybercrime and warned youths against falling into the lure of Internet fraud.
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