Cybercrime: Court jails SUBEB staff, EKSU graduate

The Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Thursday has sentenced two men to various jail terms.

The two convicts; a staff of Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Olubola Sunday, and one Ade-Ajayi Oluwatobi, a graduate of Ekiti State University (EKSU).

Justice Muhammed Sanni, in his judgment, said the prosecution proved the two cases beyond reasonable doubt.

Sanni cited the pleas of guilt entered by the defendants, the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses, exhibits tendered and plea bargain agreements.

The judge sentenced Olubola to six months imprisonment on each of the three counts against him, to run concurrently, with an option of N100,000 fine on each count.

He also ordered the forfeiture of the iPhone, First Bank manager’s cheque (bank draft) of N417,000 to the Federal Government.

Sanni also sentenced Oluwatobi to one year imprisonment, with an option of N500,000 fine.

The court also ordered that Lexus Ex350 saloon car and iPhone 11 pro, recovered from him, to be forfeited to the Federal Government.

They both pleaded guilty to a separate charge preferred against them by the Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Count one of the charge against Olubola read: “Tthat you, Olubola Olusola Sunday (alias: Mic Porter) sometime in February 2018, at Ado-Ekiti, with intent to defraud, sent electronic messages.

“Misrepresenting facts of being Mic Porter.

“A white male, vie [email protected], upon which reliance, one Mega Johnson is caused to suffer loss of $1,000.

“Received through, Western Union money transfer.

“Thereby committed computer related fraud, contrary to and punishable under Section 14(2) of the cybercrimes (Prohibition Prevention) Act, 2015.”

Oluwatobi count read: “That you, Ade-Ajayi Oluwatobi (a.k.a Stacy Erisman) sometime in April, 2020, at Ado-Ekiti, did fraudulently impersonate one Stacy Erisman, with intent to gain advantage to one Umar Farouq, who chatted vie your email; [email protected].

“Thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2) of the Cybercrimes ((Prohibition Prevention) Act, 2015″, and punishable under Section 22(2) (b) (iv) of the same Act.”

Counsel to EFCC, Andrew Akoja, reviewed the facts of the two cases through Olasode Olumide and Emezie Peter Kachi, both operatives of the commission.

The two witnesses, in their separate testimonies, told the court how the defendants (now convicts) were arrested in Ado-Ekiti.

They tendered documents, including statements of the defendants, 2 iPhones, First Bank manager’s cheque (bank draft) of N417,000, photocopies of particulars of the vehicle recovered from one of the defendants and its key as exhibits.

Akoja thereafter urged the court to convict the defendants based on their pleas and the evidence placed before it.