Justice Omolara Adeyemi of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, convicted and sentenced the duo of Babarinde Sodiq Adewale and Adewale Jegede Akanni to six months community service each on a separate one count charge of obtaining money by false pretence and personation, which are contrary to Section 419 and 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

The charge against Babarinde reads: “That you, Babarinde Sodiq Adewale ‘M’ sometime in year 2021, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained gift cards worth of $200USD (Two Hundred United States Dollars) from Williams James by falsely representing to him that you are a female and other pretences which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of obtaining money by false pretence contrary to Section 419 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

The charge against Adewale reads: “That you, Adewale Jegede Akanni on or about the 10th day of February, 2022 at Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud falsely represented yourself as Brittany Anderson, a white lady from the United States of America, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of impersonation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

The convicts were arraigned by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and they pleaded “guilty” to the charges filed against them.

In view of their pleas, the EFCC counsel, Abdulrasheed Suleiman, prayed the court to convict and sentence.

Justice Adeyemi convicted and sentenced the defendants to six months community service each. She added that the “jail term shall be served within the court premises”.

Also, the judge ordered that Babarinde pay the sum of $150 (One Hundred and Fifty United States of America Dollars), N36, 727.05 domiciled in his Access bank account as restitution and forfeit one Infinix S4 mobile phone to the Federal Government.

Furthermore, Adewale was ordered to restitute his victim the sum of $1,000USD (One Thousand United States Dollars) found in his bank account and forfeit a Lexus E350 saloon car, one Infinix and one iPhone 6plus mobile phones to the Federal Government.

Media & Publicity
14 July, 2022