on Tuesday 19 November, 2019 secured the conviction of one Emmanuel
Adedeji Oluwatosin, whose name was on the wanted list of the US Federal
Bureau of Investigation, (FBI) before Justice M S. Sifawa of the Sokoto
State High court sitting in Sokoto.
He was prosecuted on one count charge bordering on Internet fraud to the
tune of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand United State Dollars ($150,
000.00).
The charge reads, “that you Adedeji Emmanuel Oluwatosin, sometime
between January and July 2019 at Sokoto within the jurisdiction of the
Sokoto State High Court did steal the sum of $150, 000.00 (One Hundred
and fifty Thousand Dollars) through wire funds transfer from multiple
foreign victims by fraudulent intrusion into their retirement accounts
domiciled in United States of America via internet and transferred the
said sums into fraudulent business accounts created by you and you
withdrew the said funds through ATM Cards and cashier cheques and you
thereby committed the offence of Theft contrary to Section 274 of the
Sokoto State Penal Code Law 2019 and punishable under Section 275 of the
same Law”.
Upon arraignment, Adedeji pleaded guilty to the charge.
In view of the defendant’s plea, the prosecuting counsel, Musa. Mela
Gwani asked the court to convict and sentence the defendant. However,
the defence counsel, Shamsu A. Dauda, pleaded with the court to temper
justice with mercy as his client was a first time offender who has
become remorseful. He also told the court that the convict is ready to
restitute the victims by forfeiting his home in Kaduna and two Mercedes
Benz cars (Models C550e and C450) to the victims.
Justice Sifawa, thereafter convicted and sentenced the defendant to two
(2) years imprisonment with option of Two Million Naira (N2, 000,000.00)
fine.
He ordered the convict to restitute the victims by forfeiting the
proceeds of the said crime: a residential apartment situated at No17/19
Seamans Street, Maigero, Kaduna State and two Mercedes Benz Models C550e
and C450 respectively through Asset Forfeiture Unit of the EFCC for
disposal and return of the proceeds to the victims of the offence
through the US Legal Attaché in Nigeria.
The convict’s journey to prison started on the 29th of August, 2019 when
he was arrested in Kaduna at Unguwan Maigero in a luxury apartment,
following intelligence by US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on
his involvement in internet scams.
Items recovered from the residence included two cars (Mercedes Benz
C550e, Mercedes Benz C450), an IPhone, laptops, a modem and SIM cards.