Court jails 3 internet fraudsters arrested at Obasanjo library

The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State, on Monday, August 18, 2025, convicted three internet fraudsters arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The convicts – Oyatokun Damilola Qudus, Adenekan Adewole Ayinde, and Adisa Okikiade – are among the 93 suspected fraudsters arrested during a sting operation at a hotel within the precincts of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, on Sunday, August 10, 2025.

They were arraigned on separate one-count charge bordering on impersonation and internet fraud.

The charge against Qudus reads: “That you, Oyatokun Damilola Qudus, sometime in August 2025 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently held out yourself on Instagram page; @ericmelissa as Eric Melissa, a white female with intent to gain advantage for yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition etc.) Act, 2015.”

They all pleaded “guilty” to the charges preferred against them.

Following their guilty pleas, the prosecution counsel, S.M.Yabo, called the investigative officers, Adamu Yakubu, Ilyasu Dauda and Umar Giade, to review the facts of the cases.

Yabo, thereafter, sought to tender, in evidence, the extra-judicial statements of the defendants, Ayinde’s iPhone 14 Pro, Okikiade’s Infinix smartphone used to perpetrate the crime, the N200,000 bank draft in restitution made by Ayinde as well as the forensic investigation documents printed from their devices.

They were all admitted as exhibits by the court.

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The defence counsel, respectively, pleaded with the judge to “temper justice with mercy,” adding that their clients were first-time offenders who have shown remorse.

The presiding judge, Justice D.I.Dipeolu, following the defendants’ guilty pleas and evidence tendered by the prosecution, found them guilty and convicted them accordingly.

Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced Qudus to one month imprisonment from the date of arrest, with the option of a fine of N300,000.

The judge also convicted and sentenced Ayinde, who benefited the sum of $180 from his criminal activities, to one month imprisonment, with the option of a fine of N250,000.

The judge ordered that the iPhone 14 Pro and the sum of N200,000 in restitution be forfeited to the federal government.

Okikiade was sentenced to one month imprisonment, with the option of N100,000 fine.

Justice Dipeolu also ordered that the Infinix smartphone recovered from Okikiade be forfeited to the federal government.

The Star