EFCC: Court Jails Two For Impersonation

By Matthew Ogune, Abuja

Justice Ibrahim Watilat of the Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Monday, June 1, 2020, slammed three months custodial sentence on two fraudsters – Owolabi Aderibigbe and Habeeb Popoola Kareem

The duo were found guilty of impersonation in a lone-count charge separately filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office.

They had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge in line with the conditions of plea bargain arrangement struck with the Commission.

The court also ordered that two other suspects be remanded in the custody of the EFCC’s Ibadan zonal office till Tuesday, June 2, 2020, when their plea bargain agreements are expected to be presented for consideration.

Like the two convicts, Kolade Nwachukwu and Ekeh Favour Chibueze were brought before the court on Monday to answer for their alleged involvement in internet-related crimes.

While Aderibigbe and Kareem were arrested on March 2, 2020 during a raid on a location in Ilaro, Ogun State; Nwachukwu and Chibueze were picked up on March 9, 2020 at Alabata area of Abeokuta, the state capital.

After pleading guilty to the lone charge, prosecution counsel Bashir Shamsudeen prayed the court to convict them accordingly, which earned them the sentence.

The judge also ordered that Aderibigbe forfeits the Lexus 350 car confiscated from him to the Federal Government of Nigeria, while Kareem was ordered to restitute the sum of Two Thousand, Five Hundred United States Dollars ($2,500USD) to his victim as well as forfeit his Iphone X max to the government.