OBASANJO LIBRARY HOTEL RAID: COURT JAILS THREE, REMANDS ONE OVER CYBERCRIME
Read Time:1 Minute, 44 Second
By: Sefiu Ajape
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday convicted three internet fraudsters who confessed to cybercrime-related offences and ordered the remand of a fourth defendant who pleaded not guilty.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu delivered the ruling after the convicts admitted guilt to the charges.
The convicts — Isaac Akinwale, Ibrahim Azeez Olatunji, and Habeeb Oladipupo Oshundairo — were among 93 suspects arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission during a raid at a hotel located within the former President Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library complex in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
They were charged with offences including false pretence, identity theft, and obtaining money under false pretence, contrary to the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and the EFCC Act, 2004.
During the proceedings, EFCC operative Umar Shuaibu testified that “Akinwale posed online as a woman to run a celebrity scam, defrauding a victim of $500.”
Prosecuting counsel Franklin Ofoma presented as exhibits a 2007 Toyota Camry, a Galaxy phone, and a bank draft of N400,000.
Justice Dipeolu sentenced Akinwale to three months in prison or a N1 million fine, while Olatunji received one month in prison or a N500,000 fine for a romance scam.
Oshundairo was sentenced to 30 days of community service, which included carrying a banner that read: “Cybercrime Does Not Pay. Stay Away from Cybercrime.” He was convicted on two counts of impersonation and for retaining N600,000 in criminal proceeds.
The fourth defendant, Onunoye Fawas Olamilekan, denied posing as “Nurse Becky” on Facebook and retaining $50 from fraud. His lawyer contested the charges, arguing that the cited section of the Cybercrimes Act did not exist.
Justice Dipeolu remanded Olamilekan in the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending trial on October 31, 2025.
According to the EFCC, Akinwale had, in 2025, pretended on WhatsApp — as “Monica” and “Daisy” — to defraud unsuspecting individuals. Oshundairo was accused of presenting his Gmail account (perezdavis2377@gmail.com) as belonging to an expert in service certificates and internal revenue preparation to gain advantage, while Olamilekan allegedly impersonated “Nurse Becky” on Facebook (joypitard86@gmail.com) for fraudulent purposes.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0