Soji Ajibola, Ibadan
Two internet fraudsters, Rasak Olayinka Balogun and Ayodeji Oluwaseun Olatona have been sentenced to six and seven months imprisonment, respectively, by separate courts in Ibadan, Oyo State and Abeokuta, Ogun State, for criminal impersonation.
The two convicts were arraigned before the courts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan Zonal office, on one-count charge of criminal impersonation, which runs contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the same Act.
The accused pleaded guilty to the charge and were sentenced to six and seven months imprisonment, respectively.
Justice Patricia Ajoku of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, sentenced Olatona to six months imprisonment while her counterpart in Abeokuta, Justice Mohammed Mustapha, jailed Balogun seven months.
Apart from his jail term, Balogun was ordered to refund $4,000 to his victim, one Mantonia Duncan, and also forfeit his laptop, Samsung Galaxy S8 phone and iPhone 11 Pro Max to the Federal Government, while Olatona will pay back $500 to his victim and forfeit his iPhone 7 to the Federal Government.