As part of its efforts to sanitise the state from crime, the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has secured the conviction of four persons including a 21-year-old Cinematographer, Abiodun Ayomide from Ikirun, in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State over offences bordering on personation and internet fraud.

Others include Bello Damola Lateef from Ilorin, Kwara State; Azeez Ibrahim Olarewaju from Ona-ara Local Government Area of Oyo State and Aderoju Ridwan Kayode from Oshogbo, Osun State.

The duo of Abiodun and Bello were prosecuted on separate charge before Justice Adebayo Yusuf, while Azeez and Aderoju were dragged before Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.

Abiodun Ayomide, sometime in January 2020 to December 2020 in Ilorin, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did knowingly have under his control the sum of Seven Million, One Hundred and Ninety Thousand, One Hundred and Eighty Seven Naira (N7,190,187) paid into his Access Bank account number 0108778482 which is reasonably suspected to be unlawfully obtained and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 319A of the Penal Code Law and Punishable under the same Law”.

While Aderoju Ridwan Kayode, sometimes between the month of August 2021 and August 2022, at Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly had under his control, the sum of N2,847,045 (Two Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand and Forty Five Naira) being paid into his Guaranty Trust Bank, with Account Number 0658100735, reasonably suspected of having been unlawfully obtained and thereby committed an Offence contrary to and punishable under Section 319A of the Penal Code Law.”

The defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charge.

Following their guilty pleas, Innocent Mbachie, Rashidat Alao and Isabel Adeniran who prosecuted the cases on behalf of the Commission reviewed the facts of the cases and tendered exhibits, which were admitted in evidence.

They urged the court to hold that the prosecution had proved the essential ingredients of the case to warrant the defendants’ conviction.

In his judgment, Justice Yusuf sentenced Abiodun to six months imprisonment on each of the four counts with an option of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) on each count.

Justice Yusuf equally sentenced Bello to six months imprisonment with an option of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira Only).

While Justice Akinpelu sentenced Azeez to three months imprisonment with an option of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only).

The courts ordered all the convict to forfeit all the proceeds of the crime to the Federal Government.