Internet fraudster jailed in Ilorin, loses car to FG

July 20, 2022

Zonal Command of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin, has secured the conviction of one Abdulrahman Kayode Wasiu over offences bordering on cybercrime and retention of proceeds of unlawful activities.

Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin on Wednesday, sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment, having found him guilty of a one-count charge brought against him by the EFCC.

Abdulrahman was said to have had in his possession a sum of N4,326.000.00 between November 2020 and November 2021, suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

The defendant pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him.

Following his guilty plea, Innocent Mbachie, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the EFCC, reviewed the facts of the case through a witness who tendered items such as a Lexus 350 car and iPhone recovered from the defendant at the point of arrest. The counsel also tendered the extra-judicial statement and several incriminating documents printed out of the defendant’s device, which were admitted in evidence.

Mbachie urged the court to hold that the prosecution had established a prima-facie case against the defendants to warrant his conviction.

Justice Akinpelu in her judgement on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, said the court relied on the guilty plea entered by the defendant, his extra-judicial statements and all the exhibits tendered and was convinced that the prosecution had proved its case beyond doubt.

While sentencing Abdulrahman to six months imprisonment with an option of a fine of N200,000, the judge ordered that the iPhone used by the convict to perpetrate the crime and the Lexus 350 car acquired with the proceeds of unlawful activities be forfeited to the Federal Government.

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