Jail Galore For Internet Fraudsters
This is not the best of time for Internet fraudsters as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have decided to go all out for Internet fraudsters. For instance, the Lagos Zonal Directorate two of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, August 25, 2025, secured the conviction and sentence of five internet fraudsters before Justice D.I.Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The convicts are: Olawale Waliu, Akinyele K. Fatai, Olufemi K. Ayomiposi, Shonekan Waris Bolaji, Adeleye E. Jesutofunmi. They are among the 93 suspected fraudsters arrested during a sting operation on Sunday, August 10, 2025 at a hotel within the precincts of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
They were arraigned on Monday on one-count separate charges bordering on impersonation, identity and internet fraud. The charge against Waliu reads:
That you, OLAWALE WALIU, on or about 10h August, 2025 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one “Lanna Morgan”, a white woman on Facebook Mobile Application with intent to gain advantage for yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015.”
The charge against Ayomiposi reads: “
That you, OLUFEMI KOREDE AYOMIPOSI, on or about the 10 August,2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and with intent to gain advantage, held out yourself as “Floyd Jeep”, a foreign National through Google account floydjeep@gmail.com to unsuspecting members of the public,wherein you gain financial benefit to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition Prevention etc.) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2015.”
The charge against Bolaji reads: “That you, Shonekan Waris Bolaji, on or about the month of August 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated an inmate named Jennifer Brown currently incarcerated in prison in the California in the United States, with intent to obtain property and did obtain property in the sum of $50(Fifty United States Dollars).contrary to Section 22(2) (b) (ii) of the Cybercrime(Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act,2015 and punishable under Section 22(2) (b)(iv) of the said Act.”
The charge against Jesutofunmi reads: “That you, ADELEYE EMMANUEL JESUTOFUNMI, on or about the 10th August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and with a dishonest intent involved yourself in a dating scam, wherein you sent false messages to unsuspecting members of the public and thereby committed an offence contrary to ant punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition Prevention etc.) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2015.”
The charge against Fatai reads: “ That you, AKINYELE KEHINDE FATAI, (Male), between 2024 and 2025 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court , fraudulently opened Facebook Account, wherein you represented yourself as a female, named Shannon Belia, with intent to gain advantage for yourself and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (3) (a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition etc.) Act. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2015.”.They each pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them.
In view of their guilty pleas, prosecution counsel, S.M.Yabo, Pereagbe Ebareotu, Ayanfe Olowonihi and I.G. Akhanolu, called on Inyama I. Chinaza, Abang Armstrong Bisong and Izuchukwu Collins, who respectively reviewed the facts of the cases.
The prosecution counsel, thereafter, respectively sought to tender, in evidence, the extra-judicial statements of the defendants; the iPhone 6 and the N26,000 GT manager’s cheque raised as restitution by Waliu; the N500,000 manager’s cheque issued by Fatai; the Samsung S8 and the N75,000 manager’s cheque issued by Bolaji;the Iphone 12 promax, iphone XR, the N1,000,000 manager’s cheque raised by Ayomiposi in two tranches of N500,000 as well as the forensic investigation documents printed from their mobile devices, were all admitted as exhibits by the court.
The judge, in view of the defendants’ guilty pleas and evidence tendered by the prosecution, found them guilty and convicted them accordingly.
The defence counsel, K. Popoola, D. I. Oluseyi, A. O. Idowu and Gabriel Inalegwu, respectively passionately prayed the court to “temper justice with mercy,” and grant their clients non- custodial sentences, adding that they were first-time offenders who have shown remorse.
Delivering judgment, Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced Waliu, who confessed to have benefited the sum of $25Dollars( Twenty-five United States Dollars) to 30-days imprisonment , with an option of fine of N80,000( Eighty Thousand Naira).
The Judge also ordered that his mobile device as well the N26,000 GT manager’s cheque raised as restitution be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Justice Dipeolu also convicted and sentenced Fatai who confessed to have benefitted the sum of $2,000, to six months imprisonment, with an option of fine of N3m.
The Judge also convicted and sentenced Bolaji who confessed to have benefited the sum of $50, to one month imprisonment from the date of arrest.
Ayomiposi who confessed to have benefitted the sum of $2,230 from his criminal activities, was convicted and sentenced to 30 days imprisonment from the day of arrest.
The Judge ordered that the iphone 12 promax and iphone XR recovered from him be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria .
Also, Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced Jesutofunmi to 30 days community service to be carried out at the EFCC office in Lagos
Similarly, Justice I. O. Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday, August 25, 2025, convicted and sentenced one Sulaiman Olayiwola Gbajabiamila to 20 years imprisonment for N31m property fraud.
Gbajabiamila was arraigned on September 19, 2023, by the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , EFCC, on a seven-count charge bordering on stealing, obtaining under false pretences, forgery, and retention of proceeds of crime to the tune of N31m.
In another ruling, Justice D.I.Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, convicted and sentenced one Innocent Owie Ochuko to three months imprisonment for internet fraud. He was arraigned on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 on a one-count charge bordering on cybercrime.
Also in Edo state, Justice M. Itsueli of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City, on Thursday, August 21, 2025 convicted and jailed the trio of Efosa Richard, Victor Nwachukwu and Ekaye Emaike for internet fraud. Similarly, Five internet fraudsters, James Joseph, Osamuyimen Okunbor, Osabuochien Aisogbonbu Francis, Mathew Odosa Obedience and Samuel Friday were on Monday August 25, 2025 convicted and jailed by Justice M. Itsueli of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City.
They were prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate one-count charges, bordering on obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime and possession of fraudulent documents.
As the magazine was going to press news came that Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Uyo Zonal Directorate, on Monday, August 25, 2025, arrested seven suspected internet fraudsters in an early hour sting operation at Uyeh Heaven and Ayam Estates, along Ring Road 3 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The suspects were arrested following actionable intelligence on their suspected involvement in internet crimes.
Items recovered from the suspects include five laptops, 10 mobile phones, and one iPad.
The suspects according to Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity, will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded