Two internet fraudsters, popularly called ‘Yahoo Boys’, Tobiloba Ibrahim Bakare and Alimi Seun Sikiru, have been convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment, by the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos.
Apart from the three-year jail term, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, also ordered the convicts to forfeit to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the total sum of N204,041,216.82million; Mercedes Benz E500; Toyota Hilux 2020 model.
The convicts, Tobiloba and Alimi are also to forfeit to the Federal Government of Nigeria, a 5-bedroom duplex, situated at Ibrahim Beto Street, Osapa London, Lekki, Lagos; a 4-bedroom semi-detached duplex situated at Ologolo Jakande, Lekki, Lagos and a 4-bedroom semi-detached duplex in Southern View Estate, Mayor Court, Chevron Alternative Road, Lekki, Lagos.
Justice Taiwo convicted, sentenced the convicts and made the forfeiture order on Monday, after they pleaded guilty to the six counts of conspiracy to retain stolen items, made against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Idris Abdullahi Mohammed, are contrary to sections 411 and 328(1)and punishable under Section 328 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2015.
The convicts pleaded guilty to the counts charges, after which they entered a plea bargain agreement with the prosecuting agency.
Following their guilty plea, the prosecutor made application to court to review the facts of the case, which was granted.
In reviewing the facts of the case, Mr. Idris told the court that the Commission (EFCC) received an alleged case of suspicious transaction and money laundering reported through an intelligence report on September 2, 2020. The intelligence was analysed and found worthy of investigation and same was referred to Advance Fee Fraud Section for investigation. He also said that while investigating a suspected computer fraudster, the first convict, Kehinde Adelakun and his transaction off-shoot link with the suspect’s company; Alvine International Resources Ventures, investigation was conducted to unravel the nature of suspect’s relationship with the said person.
The findings of investigation revealed the following: “That while investigating and prosecuting one Kehinde Adelekun now convict, the second delendant featured. And that the second defendant owns Alvine First Resources Ventures which he uses in his real estate business, and that the second defendant operates two corporate accounts with First Bank and Sterling Bank Plc.
“That upon analysis of the two accounts belonging to the second defendant several inflows was discovered from different companies between March to July, 2020 reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity and that further analysis on the accounts shows that there is a balance of N196,741,261.82 million and N9.3 million were retained in the Sterling Bank and Polaris Bank of the second defendant reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.
“That the second defendant when confronted, admitted that majority of the funds received in his accounts were from the first defendant and that first defendant when confronted, admitted that he was into Business Email Compromise fraud between 2009 to 2020. That he has hacked into the emails of KLM, Turkish Airways and British Airways. And that in the cause of perpetrating the said fraud, he has benefitted the total sum of about $750,000 USD, while the second defendant also benefitted the sum of N120 million, through his conspirator, Dayo Bamgbose, who reside in Texas United States of America with phone number +12098564245 but now deceased.
Idris further told the court that the first convict has acquired some properties with the proceeds of unlawful activity In Lagos which include the following; a 5-bedroom duplex situated at Ibrahim Beto Street, Osapa London, Lekki, Lagos; a 4-Bedroom Semi detached duplex situated at Ologolo Jakande, Lekki, Lagos; a 4-bedroom Semi detached duplex in Southern View Estate, Mayor Court, Chevron Altemative Road, Lekki, Lagos; Mercedes Benz E500 and a Toyota Hilux 2020 model.
“The sum of N196,741,216.82 million, being part of the proceeds of the defendant’s unlawful aciivity was retained in the 2nd defendant company Account with the name Alvin International Resources Ventures, with Account No. 0067959230 domiciled in Sterfing Bank. And that the second defendant also retained the sum of N9.3 million in his Account Number 1763314675 domiciled in Polars Bank”.
Upon reviewing the facts of the case, the prosecutor urged court to convict, sentence the two internet fraudsters. And with the plea bargain agreement entered into, also urged the court to make an order forfeiting both money and items recovered from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Following the tendering of the plea bargain agreement which was signed by the convicts, their Counsel, Hycinth Udu and the prosecutor, Justice Taiwo sentenced the convicts to three year imprisonment and ordered that all the items recovered from them be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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