Court jails corps member for internet fraud

A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital, on Thursday, convicted one Christopher Adetuberu, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, for offences bordering on internet fraud.

The presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Yusuf, said 28-year-old Adetuberu was found guilty of the two-count of cyber-crime preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Yusuf sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment with a fine option of N200,000, adding that his conviction would serve as a deterrent to others.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of a 3-bedroom flat acquired with the proceeds of the illegal activities.

Other items forfeited to the Federal Government include a Lexus car, different brands of cellphones, a laptop, as well as the sum N921,535.49 found in his bank account.

The corps member, an indigene of Ilesha, Ilesha West Local Government Area of Osun State was arrested at Ogele area of Eyenkorin, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

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The convict had in the course of investigation revealed that he ventured into ‘Yahoo Yahoo Business’ in 2016 and had among other things built a house with the proceeds of the illegal activities.

In a related development, Justice Yusuf has sentenced a 30-year-old aluminum fabricator, Saheed Olayiwola, to six months imprisonment at the correctional centre in Ilorin

Olayiwola, who hails from Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State, was sentenced without an option of a fine for acting as ‘loader’ to co-fraudsters.

The court also ordered forfeiture of the Toyota Camry car recovered at the point of his arrest, his cellphone, and a laptop, which are instruments of the illegal activities to the Federal Government.

Justice Yusuf, in his judgement, said the defendant was found guilty of one-count charge of possessing funds which he knew to be proceeds of unlawful activities preferred against him by the EFCC.

The judge said he found merit in the prosecution’s case, adding that the admittance of guilt by the defendant was enough evidence to convict him.