A Federal High Court in Ilorin, on Wednesday, convicted a courier staff, Akinyuli Damilola, for offences bordering on internet fraud and a love scam.
Akinyuli, a worker currently in the employ of Tranex Courier Service, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, was charged on one count by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Muhammed Sanni.
He was among the 34 suspected internet fraudsters arrested at different locations in Ado-Ekiti on March 8, 2021.
The charge sheet said Akinyuli had sometime between January 2021 and February 2021, at Ado-Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, fraudulently impersonated one Connor Matty, via Gmail account connormatty4@gmail.com with intent to obtain 150 US dollars worth of iTune gift card which he obtained from one Hollie Beilman and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(ii) of the cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention) Act 2015, and punishable under Section 22 (2)(IV) of the same Act.
The defendant pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him in court.
Following his plea, Counsel to the anti-graft agency, Aliyu Adebayo, drew the attention of the court to the plea bargain agreement and the guilty plea entered by the defendant and urged the court to convict him as charged.
Justice Sanni sentenced Akinyuli to six months in jail with an option of N300,000 fine.
He said, ”the convict shall enter an undertaking of good behaviour before this honourable court.”
The trial judge also ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone 7 and Motorola phone used to perpetrate the crime to the Federal government.
