An Oyo State high court in Ibadan has sentenced Balaji Salami to prison for fraud.
The Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission prosecuted Salami on an amended one-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence contrary to Section 419 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State 2000.
It reads, “Bolaji Salami sometime in March in Ibadan, with intent to defraud, obtained various gift cards worth the sum of USD$150 from Smith Johnson, a white male American citizen, when you falsely represented to him that you are a white female American by name Angelina James, that you are in love with him and wanted to marry him, which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence.”
The convict pleaded guilty to the offence following which Justice Sherifat Adeyemi pronounced him guilty as charged and sentenced him to six months imprisonment with effect from his June 30 date of arrest.
Salami was also asked to restitute his victim the sum of $150 USD and forfeit his iPhone X Max, Itel mobile phones and HP laptop computer to the Federal Government.
Similarly, Justice Patricia Ajoku of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Wednesday, sentenced Olanrewaju Olatunji, a.k.a. Mia Cruz, to one year imprisonment for fraud.
Olatunji was prosecuted by the Ibadan Zonal Office of the EfCC on amended one-count charge of criminal impersonation.
The charge read in parts, “Olanrewaju Olatunjil, in May 2019 at Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud, impersonated one Mia Cruz, a white female, when you falsely represented yourself to Abigail Mccaroll, in order to gain advantage for yourself, contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (ii) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015, and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) of the same Act.”
He pleaded guilty to the charge upon which prosecution counsel, Mabas Mabur, prayed the court to sentence and convict him.
The judge sentenced him to one year imprisonment with effect from February 13, day of his arrest while he is also to restitute the sum of $1600 to his victim through the EFCC, and forfeit his Honda Crosstour and other items to the Federal Government.
Also, Adedapo Olayiwola, Adebola Aderonke Adesina and her company, Kestrel Travels and Tour Limited, were arraigned before Justice Adeyemi.
Olayiwola is facing trial on a five-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section 1 (2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.
He was alleged to have fraudulently obtained over N4 million from his victims on the pretence that he had plots of land for sale to them. The victims found out that the said plots of land did not belong to him.
The charge reads, “Olayiwola Adedapo sometime in 2016, in Ibadan, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N1,400,000 from Monsuru Adekunle under the pretense that it is the purchase price for two acres of land, situated at Oyigun Village, Akinyele, Ibadan which you claimed belong to you, which representations you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.”
Upon pleading not guilty to the charge, the prosecution counsel, Murtala Usman, urged the court to fix a date of trial pending when he would be remanded in prison custody.
Adeyemi admitted Olayiwola to bail in the sum of N5million and two sureties in like sum. The sureties are to provide a valid means of identification verified by the EFCC within seven days or be returned to the EFCC’s custody. The case was adjourned till December 2, 2020.
Adesina, on her part, was arraigned alongside her company on one-count charge of stealing, contrary to Section 390 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
She was alleged to have fraudulently obtained the sum of N2,400,000 from one Adeniyi Dauda through her company on the pretence that she could help him procure visas for some of his clients but failed to deliver on her promise and refused to refund the money.
It read, “Adesina Adebola Aderonke and Kestrel Travels and Tours Limited sometime in February, 2019 in Ibadan did commit an illegal act, to wit stealing of the sum of N2,400,000.00 only property of Adeniyi Dauda.”
Upon pleading not guilty to the charges, the prosecution counsel, Murtala Usman, asked the court for a date of trial and for the defendant to be remanded in prison custody pending the date.
The court ordered that she be remanded in EFCC’s custody, pending an application for her bail and adjourned the matter till October 20 for hearing.
