The Oyo State High Court in Ibadan has sentenced two siblings, Samuel Adedeji Adeboye and Charles Adedamola Adeboye, alongside 33 others, to various jail terms for their involvement in internet fraud.
The judgments were delivered by Justices Ladiran Akintola, Bayo Taiwo, and O.S. Adeyemi.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan Zonal Directorate, arraigned the convicts on separate one-count charges, each relating to impersonation, obtaining by false pretence, possession of fraudulent documents, and retention of proceeds of crime.
The EFCC, in a post on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday evening, confirmed securing the conviction of the internet fraudsters, all of whom pleaded guilty to the charges against them.
Among the convicts, the two Adeboye brothers faced distinct charges. Samuel Adedeji Adeboye was charged with impersonating a foreign individual.
His charge reads: “That you, Adeboye, on or about the 8th day of June, 2024, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, falsely represented yourself as James Jonathan to Wendy Rose, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of impersonation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law of Oyo State, 2000.”
Charles Adedamola Adeboye was convicted for aiding internet fraudsters in receiving illegal funds. His charge reads: “That you, Charles Adedamola Adeboye, sometime in July 2018, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, aided an internet fraudster, one Olowooye David (at large), by helping him and other internet fraudsters to receive funds, which form the proceed of obtaining money by false pretences, wherein you benefitted the total sum of N200,000.00, thereby committed an offence of aiding the commission of felony: obtaining money by false pretence contrary to Sections 7 (b) and 419 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 30, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
The 33 other convicts, whose names include Oluwadamilola Michael Omotayo, Boluwatife Ajewole Alaran, and Michael Damilare Badaru, were also convicted on various internet fraud-related charges. The full list of names includes notable individuals such as Azeez Hammed Ademola, Adelayi Adetunji Wellington, and Ebuka Ogbonna Emmanuel.
Prosecutors Modupe Akinkoye, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, Chidi Okoli, Sanusi Galadanchi, Lanre Suleiman, Shamsuddeen Bashir, and Mabas Mabur all prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants based on their guilty pleas.
Justice Ladiran Akintola sentenced the Adeboye brothers to one year imprisonment each. Samuel Adedeji Adeboye was given the option of a N100,000.00 fine, while his brother Charles Adedamola Adeboye was offered a N30,000.00 fine in lieu of imprisonment.
