The Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has sentenced a 25 year old final year of the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Giwa Nurudeen to three years imprisonment having found him guilty of offences bordering on internet scam.
Penpushing reports that, Nurudeen a native of Ibadan was arraigned by the Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), on a three-count charge of internet fraud.
The Head, Media and Publicity of the commission, Wilson Uwajeran said the convict ran into problem on May 4, 2021 when operatives of the agency received credible intelligence about the activities of some suspected internet fraudsters operating around Tanke Area of Ilorin, an action which led to his arrest.
“That you, Giwa Nurudeen, sometime between the month of January, 2020 and December, 2020 at Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did knowingly had under your control the sum of N30, 317, 697.00 (Thirty Million, Three Hundred and Seventeen Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety Seven Naira) in your account number 2077856979 domiciled with United Bank for Africa Plc. which you knew to be unlawfully obtained and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 319A of the Penal Code”, count 2 of the charge reads
Penpushing further reports that, Nurudeen pleaded guilty to the charge, and upon his plea, counsel to the anti-graft agency, Sesan Ola, led Idam Chukwuemeka, an operative of the commission to review the facts of the case.
The operative in his evidence narrated how Nurudeen was arrested based on intelligence report, and told the court how investigation unearth a whooping sum of N35million suspected to be proceed of crime in one of his accounts
Penpushing also reports that, in his statement, the convict confessed to have acted as picker for other suspected internet fraudsters who are still at large, while his confessional statements, led to discovery of iPhone 12 and a draft of N200,0000 tendered and admitted in evidence.
The judge, Justice Sikiru Oyinloye while delivering judgment on the matter, said, he carefully considered the evidence of the prosecution, the plea of the defendant and the exhibits tendered and holds the view that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“I have carefully considered the evidence of the prosecution, the plea of the defendant and the exhibits tendered. This court holds the view that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt in line with the provisions of Section 130 of the Evidence Act. I hereby convict you on count 1, 2 and 3.”
Penpushing reports that, consequently, Nurudeen was given one-year custodial sentence at the Correctional Centre on each of the three counts, which would run concurrently, and the court equally gave the convict option of fine of N100, 000 on each of the counts, which amounts to N300,000.
The court, in addition ordered the forfeiture of the convict’s iPhone 12, a draft of N200,000 and the sum of N231,000 found in his account domiciled in United Bank for Africa, UBA, to the Federal Government.
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