Again, the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday , August 19, 2025, secured the conviction and sentence of two internet fraudsters before Justice D.I.Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The convicts, Olugbodi Adefolarin Pamilerin and Adenuga Ezekiel Oluwaseyi, 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.
They were arraigned on separate two-count charges bordering on impersonation, identity and internet fraud.
One of the counts against Pamilerin reads:
“That you, Olugbodi Adefolarin Pamilerin (male), sometime in 2025, within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, fraudulently held out yourself as Emily Eddins on your Telegram account, to unsuspecting members of the public, with intent to gain advantage for yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition etc.) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria”
Another count against Pamilerin reads: “That you, Olugbodi Adefolarin Pamilerin (Male) sometime in 2025, within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, retained in your control the total sum of $160USD which were proceeds of criminal conduct, deceitfully obtained from unsuspecting members of the public, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment etc) Act No: 4 of 2004.”
Meanwhile, one of the counts against Oluwaseyi reads: “That you, Adenuga Ezekiel Oluwaseyi (Male), sometime in 2025, within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, fraudulently held out yourself as a lady in your gmail accounts, synderlaureen909@gmail.com and antonyeagle879@gmail.com to unsuspecting members of the public, with intent to gain advantage for yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition etc.) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2015.”
Another count reads: “That you, Adenuga Ezekiel Oluwaseyi (Male), sometime in 2025, within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, retained in your control the total sum of $1000USD which were proceeds of criminal conduct, deceitfully obtained from unsuspecting members of the public, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment etc) Act No: 4 of 2004.”
They each pleaded “guilty” to the charges preferred against them.
In view of their guilty pleas, the prosecution counsel, Franklin Ofoma, called two investigative officers, Eze Chijioke
Bamanga Muhammed, respectively, to review the facts of the cases.
Ofoma, thereafter, sought to tender, in evidence, the extra-judicial statements of the defendants; Pamilerin’s iPhone 14; the N150,000 bank draft in restitution made by Pamilerin; both iPhone 15 pro max and iPhone 6S recovered from Oluwaseyi; the N1m bank draft in restitution made by Oluwaseyi as well as well as the forensic investigation documents printed from their 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, pleaded with the judge to “ temper justice with mercy,” adding that their clients were first-time offenders who have shown remorse.
Delivering judgement, Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced Pamilerin, who confessed to have benefited $167 ( One Hundred and Sixty-seven Dollars) from his criminal activities to one month imprisonment, with the option of fine of N500,000( Five Hundred Thousand Naira).
The Judge ordered that the iPhone 14 recovered from him be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Justice Dipeolu also convicted and sentenced Oluwaseyi, who benefited the sum of $1,000 ( One Thousand United States Dollars ) from his criminal activities, to three months imprisonment ,with the option of fine of N2,000,000( Two Million Naira ).
The Judge ordered that his iPhone 15 pro max and iPhone 6S as well as the sum of N1m bank draft be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
