The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday convicted a
21-year-old student, Ojo Ayomide, of cyber-crime related offences.
Justice Nkeonye Maha, convicted Ayomide, 400- level
Accounting student of Ekiti State University after he pleaded guilty to the crime.
The EFCC alleged that the student fraudulently impersonated
as Scot, an Electrical Engineer, based in Miami, Florida, U.S. with intent to
gain advantage for himself, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section
22 (2) (b) (iii) of the Cyber Crimes Prohibition, Prevention, Act 2015.
Judge Maha ordered the EFCC to sell off the Samsung Galaxy
S6 phone within one month of the judgment and pay the N200,000 to the Federal
Government.
Justice Maha also ordered Ayomide to depose to an affidavit
of undertaking to be of good behavior.
The Judge said that the implication of the undertaken is
that if Ayomide commits another crime, he will be sent to jail.
NAN also reports that Ayomide’s was tendered to the court as an exhibit.
A plea bargain agreement was applied for on August 22 and subsequently
filed.
The plea bargain was in pursuant to section 270 of the
Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, between the EFCC and Ayomide.
Counsel to the EFCC, Maryam Hayatudeen, said Ayomide’s
arrest by the anti-graft agency, followed an intelligence report on the
fraudulent activities of some fraudsters or scammers residing at Ado-Ekiti,
Ekiti State.
“The intelligence report has it that some scammers are being
harboured at Friendly Hostel, Ekiti State University.
“The report revealed that Ayomide had turned the above
address as an office, using computers, phones etc to defraud or scam foreigners
alike and dispose them of their hard earned money and other valuables.
“It further revealed that the fraudster used the proceeds
from crimes on flamboyant lifestyles, spending lavishly on exotic drinks, women
and to acquire different properties and others.
“Operatives were dispatched to Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State to
carry out surveillance on the activities of the scammers as contained in the
intelligence and this was verified to be true.
“Search was executed at the said premises and incriminating
items such as phones, laptops and some other items were recovered during the
process of search.
“He was arrested on August 7,” she told the court.
Hayatudeen said that Olumide, in his statement admitted that
he started internet scam three months ago and that was his first attempt.
He said he indulged in fraud because he had no hope of
getting money to attend to his various necessities.
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