The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, August 21, 2025, secured the conviction and sentence of the duo of Asimiyu Oluwaponmile Olatunji and Hassan Makinde for internet fraud before Justice D.I.Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
They are among the 93 suspected fraudsters arrested during a sting operation on Sunday, August 10, 2025 at a hotel within the precincts of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The suspects were arraigned on Thursday on one-count separate charges bordering on impersonation, identity and internet fraud.
One of the charges reads: “That you, ASIMIYU OLUWAPONMILE OLATUNJI (male) sometime in August, 2025, at Lagos, within the Lagos jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, fraudulently opened a Facebook Account with the name Janet Milner, and held out yourself as such, and deceitfully obtained the sum of $350 (Three Hundred and Fifty United State Dollars), thereby committing an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (3)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition etc.) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2015.”
They each pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them.
In view of their guilty pleas, prosecution counsel, Pereagbe Ebareotu and S.M.Yabo, reviewed the facts of the cases, respectively.
The prosecution counsel, thereafter, respectively sought to tender, in evidence, the extra-judicial statements of the defendants; Olatunji’s iPhone 12 and N350,000 manager’s cheque issued as restitution ; Makinde’s iPhone 16 as well as the forensic investigation documents printed from their mobile devices.
They were all admitted as exhibits by the court.
The judge, in view of the defendants’ guilty pleas and evidence tendered by the prosecution, found them guilty and convicted them accordingly.
The defence counsel, respectively, most passionately prayed the court to “ temper justice with mercy,” and grant their clients non- custodial sentences, adding that they were first-time offenders who have shown remorse.
Delivering judgment, Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced Olatunji, who confessed to have benefited the sum of $350 ( Three Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars) to three months imprisonment , with an option of fine of N500,000( Five Hundred Thousand Naira).
The judge also ordered that the mobile device recovered from him as well as the N350,000 manager’s cheque raised as restitution be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Justice Dipeolu also convicted and sentenced Makinde , who confessed to have benefited $10,000 Australian Dollars , translating to N1.5m from his criminal activities, to three months
imprisonment, with an option of fine of N500,000 ( Five Hundred Naira ).
The iPhone 16 recovered from him was ordered forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
