Seven individuals, including a 32-year-old electrical engineer, Daniel Ejiofor Nzubechi, have been convicted and sentenced for cybercrime-related offences by various courts in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin Zonal Directorate, arraigned the defendants on separate charges of cybercrime, impersonation, and possession of criminal proceeds. The convicts include Nzubechi, Akaba Enesi Yunusa, Adewale Joy Adebowale, Ojo John Oluwatobi, Oseni Ismail Opeyemi, Yunus Jamiu, and Abayomi Abdulganiyu Kolade.
Nzubechi was convicted by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Ilorin, for impersonating a fictitious American named David Garrett to defraud a victim of $200 via gift cards. He was sentenced to six months in prison without an option of fine. His Samsung A05 and the $200 were forfeited to the federal government.
In the same court, Yunusa was sentenced to 150 hours of community service and ordered to forfeit his Infinix Hot 11 phone. Adebowale, a car dealer from Akure, was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment with no option of fine. The court also ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone 13 Pro Max, Tecno Spark 10, and ₦500,000 to the government.
Justice Haleema Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court sentenced Oluwatobi to six months in prison or a fine of ₦250,000. His iPhone 14 Pro Max and $370 were also forfeited. Opeyemi received a three-month sentence or a ₦100,000 fine, along with the forfeiture of $300.
Another defendant, Jamiu, was cautioned and had his Tecno Pop 8 forfeited. Justice Suleiman Akanbi sentenced Kolade to a two-year suspended sentence or a fine of ₦400,000 and ordered him to clean the court premises for three months. His Infinix Smart 8 phone was also forfeited.
EFCC prosecutors, including Innocent Imbachie, Aliyu Adebayo, Mustapha Kaigama, and Omolade Ajibola, presented confessional statements, digital devices, and financial records, which were all accepted as evidence.
