Abdulmalik Abdullateef Justice O. O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, May 11, 2023, convicted and sentenced one Abdulmalik Abdullateef to one year imprisonment for stealing.
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had, on April 27, 2023, arraigned 21-year-old Abdullateef on a one-count charge bordering on stealing to the tune of N10m ,an offence contrary to Section 278 and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria 2011.
He pleaded "guilty" to the charge.
During proceedings, counsel for the EFCC, S. O. Daji, called a prosecution witness, Damilare Adeosun, an operative of the EFCC, through whom a review of the facts against the defendant was given.
Adeosun told the court that the EFCC received a petition from one Fincra Technology Limited, a firm licensed to carry out financial solution services to customers.
"They reported that their system was compromised by cybercriminals, leading to the loss of about N260 million," he said.
According to him, investigations revealed that the defendant was a recipient" and he was subsequently picked up from his hideout in Kaduna and brought to the Lagos office for further investigation.”
The witness testified further that the defendant admitted to have benefited N10 million.
"He confessed that he got a link on a WhatsApp group, where he had created a profile and made multiple deposits that got doubled and credited to his bank account," he said.
He also told the court that, “ Upon his arrest, two iPhone 12 Pro and an iPhone 11 Pro were recovered from him”, being proceeds of the crime.
The prosecution then tendered, in evidence, the statements made by the defendant; the petition received by the EFCC; various correspondences with banks, where the money was transferred to, and the manager's cheques totalling N611,500.00 issued by the defendant.
They were all admitted in evidence against him, as there was no objection by the defence counsel, M.A. Zulobi.
Abdulmalik, who was given an opportunity to address the court, pleaded for mercy and for a second chance.
The defendant, who claimed to have seen the link in a WhatsApp group, told the court that he had now learnt his lessons.
Justice Abike-Fadipe reprimanded the defendant, who also said that he recently got admission into a university in Kaduna.
The Judge convicted him as charged and sentenced him to one-year imprisonment, with an option of 200 hours community service.
He was also ordered to forfeit the three iPhones as well as the money recovered from him.
In a related news, the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, May 11, 2023, secured the convicted of the duo of Salim Bashir and Khalid Ola Abdulwasiu before Justices Darius Khobo and A.A Bello respectively of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna, on separate one count charge bordering internet fraud.
The convicts were arrested at a hotel in Barnawa, Kaduna in a sting operation prompted by intelligence on their alleged internet fraud-related activities. Investigation established that they had impersonated several personalities in the social media and used the false identities to defraud unsuspecting victims.
Salim Bashir and Khalid Ola Abdulwasiu
They both pleaded guilty to the charges.
Prosecution counsel, E.K. Garba urged the courts to convict them as charged.
Justice Khobo convicted and sentenced Salim to two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000.00(One Hundred Thousand naira). He was also ordered to forfeit one Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max being the instrument used in committing the offence and the sum of $250(Two Hundred and Fifty USD) which was recovered from him, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Similarly, Justice Bello, convicted and sentenced Khalid to two years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000.00(One Hundred Thousand Naira). He is also to forfeit one Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max and the sum of $200(Two Hundred USD) to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Category: World-News
Tag: Lagos news Kaduna news efcc news Google crime news
Written by Omooba Alekuwodo (omoobaalekuwodo)
Published 5/13/2023 6:24:08 AM