Kogi born musician, two others, jailed for Internet crime

The Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has convicted and sentenced a Lokoja-born musician, Onoja Samuel, and two others to 20 years’ imprisonment for offences bordering on cybercrime.

A statement said Justice Muhammed Sani convicted Samuel on Monday along with Victor Kadiyamo and Jejelowo Segun after pleading guilty to separate counts bordering on internet fraud.

The statement added that the three men were arraigned by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The charge against Samuel reads partly, “That you, Onoja Samuel, sometime in May, 2022 at Lokoja, Kogi State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court fraudulently impersonated one Richard Philips via your Instagram account linked to your gmail account: richardphilips6211@gmail.com with intent to obtain money from one Erika which you did obtain the sum of Eighty Pounds worth gift cards and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (ii) of Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”

Following their pleas, counsel for EFCC, Andrew Akoja, prayed the judge to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Justice Sani convicted and sentenced Samuel to three years’ imprisonment on counts one and two, with an option of N100,000 fine on each count. The court ordered that the phone used by the convict to commit the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.

“Kadiyamo was also convicted and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on counts one, two and three with options  of N100,000 fine on counts one and two, while count three carried an option of fine of N54,194,680.00 (Fifty Four Million, One Hundred and Ninety Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty Naira Only). In addition, the convict forfeited his phone and one Lexus car which he purchased with the proceeds of his unlawful activities to the government,” the statement reads.

It also said Segun was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment with an option of fine of N500,000, adding that the judge ordered the forfeiture of his Toyota Matrix car and phone to the government.

The statement explained further, “The convicts began their journey to correctional centre, when they were arrested by operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC for internet-related offences.  Further investigations linked them with impersonation of foreigners. They defrauded both local and foreign victims in the process.”