Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, has jailed 26-year-old Usman Harun of Ojapata town in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State for internet fraud and possession of proceeds of unlawful activity.
Usman was sentenced to six months imprisonment on Monday by Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar having found him guilty of the one-count charge brought against him by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The charge sheet against Usman reads; “That you, Usman Harun sometime in February 2024 in Malete, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly had under your control the sum of N15,000 in your account number 000380275 domiciled in Jaiz Bank Plc, which you knew to be unlawfully obtained and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable Section 319 of the Penal Code”
The defendant pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him in court.
Upon his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Charles Oni reviewed the facts of the case, tendered the statements of the defendant, as well as evidence of items recovered from him at the point of arrest.
Justice Abdulgafar, while delivering his judgment said: “I found as a fact, from the totality of the unchallenged evidence placed before the court that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and hereby pronounce you, Usman Harun, guilty of the offence.”
Consequently, the judge sentenced Usman to six months imprisonment with an option of N100,000, as fine and ordered that the phone used to perpetrate the crime and the sum of N15,000 which the convict benefited from the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government.