From Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
Justice Mohamed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin has sentenced Akinrodolu Sunday and George Tobi, who were posing as US Military Officers, to various jail terms over love scam offences and other internet-related fraud.
Sunday and Tobi were jailed alongside one Oluwajobi Victor on separate charges of fraud brought against them by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The convicts were among the 34 suspected internet fraudsters arrested in different locations in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State on March 8.
While Sunday and Tobi were posing as US military Officers to lure unsuspecting victims into online relationships, Victor was charged for attempting to defraud people seeking accommodation in the US.
The defendants admitted to committing the crime and pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.
Items recovered from the defendants, including a Toyota Corolla sports car, iPhones, Ipad, bank draft and incriminating items printed from their devices, were tendered by Aliyu Adebayo and Rasheedat Alao, who prosecuted the cases for the Commission and admitted in evidence by the court.
In his judgment on Monday, September 27, Justice Sanni sentenced Sunday to six months imprisonment each on counts one and two, with the option of a fine of N300,000 on each count. The court also ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone 7 and Infinix 55 phones, which he used to perpetrate the crime as well as a Toyota Corolla sports car acquired with the proceeds of his unlawful activities to the Federal Government.
Similarly, Tobi was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of a fine of N300,000. The iPhone 6s recovered from him at the point of arrest was also forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Sani sentenced Victor to six months imprisonment with an option of a fine of N300,000. The judge ordered that the iPhone 6 and IPad Air 2, which the convict used to perpetrate the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.
