Ekiti Laundryman Jailed Three Yrs Over Internet Fraud

Justice Muhammed Sani of a Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Thursday, 20 October 2022, sentenced Fapohunda Paul Olasunkanmi, a laundry man from Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State to three years imprisonment for internet fraud-related offences.

Fapohunda, 23, was arrested in Ado-Ekiti by operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) on 26 April 2022 with one iPhone 6, MacBook Apple Air Laptop and Mercedes CLA 250, was found to be engaged in a dating scam, posing to be a white man named Ethan Jones from America to defraud unsuspecting victims.

He also used fraudulent email accounts for other nefarious acts including picker through bitcoins, cash apps and gift cards.

The convict was found to be in control of N92million believed to be proceeds of illegal activities between August 2021 and April 2022.

He pleaded guilty to a one-count charge.

The charge reads, “That you, Fapohunda Paul Olasunkanmi sometime in August 2018 in Ekiti within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court did fraudulently impersonate one, Ethan Jones, through your email 53ethanjones53@gmail.com with intent to gain advantage for yourself and you did benefit 930 dollars thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Act) 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (iv) of the same Act”

Prosecuting counsel, Andrew Akoja reviewed the facts of the case and asked the court to convict the defendant as charged.

Justice Sani agreed with the prosecution counsel that the EFCC had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted the defendant.

The judge sentenced Fapohunda to three years imprisonment with the option of a fine of Four Hundred Thousand Naira (₦400,000) fine. The judge ordered that one iPhone 12 Pro Max, Apple iPhone 6, MacBook laptop, Mercedes CLA 250 and a sum of Nine Hundred and Thirty United State Dollars ($930) which he raised as restitution be forfeited to the Federal Government.