The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 secured the conviction of one Akinluyi Damilola Gabriel, a worker currently in the employ of Tranex Courier service, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, for internet-related fraud and love scam.
Akinluyi, 29, was prosecuted on one count before Justice Mohammed Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin.
He was among the 34 suspected internet fraudsters arrested in different locations of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State Capital on March 8, 2021.
The Charge against the defendant reads: “That you, Akinluyi Damilola Gabriel, 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 $150.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Dollars) worth of iTune gift card and which you did obtain from one Hollie Beilman and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (iv) of the same Act”.
The defendant pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him.
Upon his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Aliyu Adebayo, urged the court to convict him as charged.
Justice Sanni sentenced Akinluyi to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N300, 000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira).
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the convict’s iPhone 7 and Motorola phone, which were used to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.
