The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction of one Abdulrahman Kayode Wasiu for offences bordering on cybercrime and retention of proceeds of unlawful activities,
Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment, having found him guilty of the one-count charge brought against him by the EFCC.
Abdulrahman between November 2020 and November 2021, allegedly had in his possession a sum of N4, 326.000.00 (Four Million, Three Hundred and Twenty Six Thousand Naira Only) suspected to be proceed of unlawful activities.
The defendant pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him.
Following his guilty plea, Innocent Mbachie, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the EFCC reviewed the facts through a witness who tendered items such as a Lexus 350 car and an iPhone recovered from the defendant at the point of arrest. Counsel also tendered the extra-judicial statement and several incriminating documents printed from the defendant’s device, which were admitted in evidence.
Mbachie urged the court to hold that the prosecution had established a prima-facie case against the defendant to warrant his conviction.
Justice Akinpelu in her judgment on Tuesday, July 19, 2022 said the court relied on the guilty plea entered by the defendant, his extra-judicial statements and all the exhibits tendered and was convinced that the prosecution had proved its case beyond doubt.
While sentencing Abdulrahman to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira Only), the judge ordered that the iPhone used by the convict to perpetrate the crime and the Lexus 350 car acquired with the proceeds of his unlawful activities be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
20 July, 2022
