Court convicts two students for love scam in Kwara

Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, on Thursday, sentenced an undergraduate student of University of Ilorin, Ganiyy Rasaq Olarewaju, to one month imprisonment for a love scam.

The judge also sentenced an Ordinary National Diploma (ND) II student of Kwara State Polytechnic, Olakunle Adebisi, to a six-month jail sentence for the same reason.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the duo on June 28 on a separate one-count charge of fraud.

They both pleaded guilty to the charge.

Following their pleas, the EFCC counsel, Sesan Ola called two witnesses – Dagogo Urowayino and Shetima Yusuf against Rasak and Adebisi, respectively to review the facts of the cases.

The two witnesses told the court how the defendants were arrested and tendered several fraudulent messages printed from their emails.

The documents and the defendants’ phones were later admitted in evidence, following which the judge adjourned until Thursday for judgment.

Justice Abdulgafar, who relied on the evidence placed before the court, the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses and the plea of the defendants, pronounced them guilty and sentenced them accordingly.

He sentenced Adebisi to six months and Olanrewaju to one-month jail terms respectively.

They are expected to serve the sentences at the Mandala Correctional Centre, Ilorin.

However, the judge allowed the suspension of the sentencing for the two convicts.

According to him, Adebisi will commence his term two years after graduation from the Kwara State Polytechnic, while Olanrewaju prison term will commence after one year after graduation.

The sentence is without an option of fine for the two convicts.