The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) achieved a significant milestone on Monday as it secured the conviction of six individuals charged with cybercrime and fraud-related activities. The convicted individuals faced trial before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court, Ilorin, and Justice Adebayo Yusuf of the Kwara State High Court, also in Ilorin.
The convicted persons are Aransiola Stephen, Owoeye Ezekiel, Idris Kayode, Abdulrahmon Abubakar, Rafiu Adisa, and Raheem Monsur. Their convictions bring the total number of suspects convicted to 24 out of the 50 individuals arrested during a sting operation conducted by EFCC operatives on February 21, 2024. Among the arrested individuals were 48 students of the Kwara State University and two residents of Malete.
Aransiola Stephen was prosecuted on a charge of cheating by personation, where he posed as a white female named Cindy Watson from the United States and induced Randy Driskill to send him $350. Similarly, Owoeye Ezekiel was charged with fraudulently impersonating someone named Sara Beauty on Instagram and obtaining $80 from Taylor Johnson.
During the proceedings, the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges. The EFCC prosecutors, Innocent Mbachie, Adebayo Aliyu, Charles Oni, and Rasheedat Alao, presented the facts of the cases and tendered statements and items recovered from the defendants as evidence.
Considering the facts presented and the defendants’ guilty pleas, the justices found them guilty and sentenced them to various jail terms. Additionally, the courts ordered the forfeiture of the phones, laptops used in the commission of the crimes, and the restitution money to the Federal Government.