Justice Muhammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Friday, convicted and sentenced five internet fraudsters, also known as “Yahoo Boys” to various jail terms ranging from six months to one year.
Justice Sani, however gave them an option of fine, even though the fine was not disclosed.
Their conviction was secured Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for offences bordering on internet related fraud.
This was disclosed in a statement made available to SWITCH NIGERIA on Friday by the Spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren.
The statement gave the names of the convicts as: Ololade Olabisi from Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, Issa Adebayo Shahajudeen, a native of Offa in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, Segun Ajila Samson from Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, Babatunde Olarewaju Saheed from Ilorin and Abdulmatin Olawale Akibu from Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.
According to the statement, prior to their conviction, the defendants had pleaded guilty to the separate charge preferred against them by the anti-graft agency.
Upon their pleas, Innocent Mbachie, Aliyu Adebayo and Andrew Akoja reviewed the facts of the cases and tendered phones, laptops, and fraudulent messages printed from defendants’ device and were admitted in evidence.
The prosecuting counsel urged the court to consider the facts and circumstances of the cases, the guilty pleas by the defendants, their extra judicial statements and convict them as charged.
In his judgment, Justice Sani said the prosecution has established a prima-facie case against the defendants and convicted them.
The judge sentenced the defendants to various jail terms, ranging from six months to one year imprisonment with option of fine. The judge also ordered that all items used as instrumentality of the crime by the convicts including phones and laptops and monies raised as restitution be forfeited to the Federal Government.
