Self-Styled Footballer, Two Others Convicted For Cybercrime In Kwara

The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of a self-styled footballer, Musa Ayomide Olasunkanmi, for offences bordering on personation and retention of proceeds of crime.

Justice Haleema Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin, delivered the judgment on a three-count charge brought against Olasunkanmi by the anti-graft agency.

Similarly, on Friday, the EFCC also secured the conviction of Owolabi Bolaji Abduljeleel and Ayomide Fawas Olaoye before the same court, presided over by Justice Saleeman, for separate offences of cybercrime.

According to court documents, Olasunkanmi, who claimed to be a footballer, retained over ₦3.4 million in his Microfinance Bank account, funds traced to fraudulent activities.

He also obtained $500 and $1,000 from two foreign victims, identified as Karyn and Courtney Rouse, under the guise of a romantic relationship.

Olaoye (alias Lizzy) was found to have retained ₦2,069,000 in his Microfinance Bank account, being proceeds of crime, while Owolabi attempted to cheat by personation, posing as Rohan Scailet, a fictitious American woman, to defraud one Matt via a fake Facebook business account.

Following their pleas of guilt, EFCC counsel Andrew Akoja and Omolade Ajibola reviewed the facts of the cases through witnesses Olumide Olasode and Biobaku Barakat, both EFCC operatives, who tendered the defendants’ confessional statements, incriminating exhibits, and evidence of restitution.

In her ruling, Justice Saleeman sentenced Olasunkanmi to four months’ imprisonment or a ₦200,000 fine on count one, six months or ₦500,000 on count two, and eight months or ₦500,000 on count three.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of an iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone XS Max, Samsung S9, and $1,000 recovered from him to the Federal Government.

Olaoye was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment or a ₦150,000 fine on count one, six months or ₦250,000 fine on count two, and four months or ₦250,000 fine on count three. His iPhone 14 Pro Max, $350, and a motorcycle were also forfeited to the Federal Government.

Owolabi was fined ₦70,000 for attempting to cheat by personation, while his iPhone XS Max and Samsung Galaxy S9 were ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.