A Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State and presided over by Justice Abimbola Awogboro has convicted a gospel singer and three others for offences bordering on cybercrime, conspiracy and misappropriation of funds.
The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought the convicts before the court.
The convicts are Otitoju Moses Sesan, a 31-year-old gospel singer, Ayodele Joseph Daisi, Adeoye Joseph and Abubakar Aliyu Abdulmalik.
The court sentenced Otitoju to six months imprisonment without the option of a fine.
Otitoju, who claimed in his extra-judicial statement to be a popular gospel performer at weddings, naming ceremonies and funerals in Lokoja, Kogi State, was found guilty of retaining the proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to over N8.4 million in his bank account.
The charge against him reads in part:
“That you, OTITOJU MOSES SESAN, sometime between October 2024 and December 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did retain control of the gross sum of N8,404,339 in your UBA account, being proceeds of criminal conduct, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) and (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004.”
Justice Awogboro sentenced Ayodele, who was found to have retained N243,750 in his UBA account, to eight months imprisonment without an option of a fine.
His Techno 19 phone was ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.
Adeoye, from Okene LGA of Kogi State, was handed eight months imprisonment without option of fine as well.
He forfeited the sum of $220, an iPhone 13, and a Techno Pop 9 phone to the Federal Government.
Abubakar was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an order of forfeiture of his iPhone 16 and Samsung S10 to the Federal Government.
In a similar development, Justices Haleema Saleeman and Sulaiman Akanbi of the Kwara State High Court have also convicted Emeka Oluwatobi Achi, Isaac Babalola Oluwafemi, Afolabi Faith Olatoye, Zubeiru Zubeiru Junior and Abdulkadir Taofeek on charges including cybercrime and misappropriation.
Justice Akanbi sentenced Abdulkadir to three years imprisonment with an option of a N500,000 fine and ordered the final forfeiture of N800,000, one iPhone 14 Pro Max, and a Samsung phone to the Federal Government.
On her part, Justice Saleeman sentenced Emeka, Isaac and Afolabi to six months imprisonment each with an option of N100,000 fine.
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