Court Convicts Two for N7m Fraud in Benue

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Makurdi Zonal Office in Benue State on Tuesday secured the conviction of Osikoya Kolawole Gboyega and Adewuyi Ademola Adebayo from Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon at the Federal High Court in Makurdi, the state capital.

Following a plea bargain agreement with the Commission, they were arraigned on a two-count charge.

One of the counts read: “That you Osikoya Kolawole Gboyega and Adewuyi Ademola Adebayo sometime in 2018 conspired among yourselves in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this court with intent to defraud, used a UBA ATM card resulting in a gain, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 33 (1) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015 and punishable under section 33 (2) of the same Act."

They pleaded ‘guilty’ to the charge.

In view of their plea, the prosecuting counsel, G. G. Chia-Yakua, urged the court to accept the plea bargain and convict them accordingly.

Justice Olajuwon, therefore, pronounced them guilty; subsequently convicted them and sentenced them to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000 each on count one.

Two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000 each on count two. Both are to run concurrently.

Also, that the sum of N300,000 that they had refunded during the course of investigation to be paid to the complainant as restitution, and that the convicts shall undertake not to commit any further financial crime again.

The court also ordered them to be remanded in prison custody pending the payment of the fine.

Trouble started for Kolawole and Adebayo when they were arrested by operatives of the EFCC on September 9 10, 2019, in Lagos State in relation to a case of fraud, aiding and abetting.

During investigation, the convicts admitted their wrong doing, showed remorse for their action and refunded the sum of N300, 000 (N150, 000 each to the victim).