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21-year-old Mark Zuckerberg’s Impostor, Others Jailed For Internet Fraud

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21 year-old internet fraudster, Jatto Sheriff Umar, who posed as the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, in order to defraud unsuspecting victims via online relationship, has been convicted and sentenced to prison for offences bordering on impersonation and cybercrime.

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, also secured the conviction of four other persons for similar offences.

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They are: Oguntoyinbo Oluwatobi Damilola, who posed as a top US Military Officer to defraud unsuspecting persons, Taiwo Akinyemi Kayode from Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Adebayo Adeola Mark from Osi in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, Adedoyin Olayinka from Ilesha West Local Government Area of Osun State and one Yusuf Alameen Abiodun from Igbo-Owu Area of Kwara State.

While the quartet of Jatto, Damilola, Taiwo and Mark were prosecuted before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the same Court, heard the case of Olayinka and Abiodun.

Innocent Mbachie represented the EFCC in the cases before Justice Abdulgafar, while R. A Alao prosecuted for the Commission in the cases before Justice Akinpelu.

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The two counsel urged the courts to take notice of the confessional statements and the guilty plea entered by the defendants as well as the evidence tendered against them, which included the devices used in perpetrating the crime to convict and sentence them as charged.

Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Jatto (Zuckerberg’s impostor) to six months imprisonment each on count one and two, to run concurrently at Mandala Correctional Centre. The sentences are however suspended, but the convict would be reporting to official of the Correctional Centre. The court also ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone 12 pro, laptop and manager’s cheque, which he raised as restitution to his victims.

The judge gave Damilola a suspended sentence of six months imprisonment on count one and two, to run concurrently, while ordering the forfeiture of the phone used to perpetrate the crime to the federal government.

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Justice Abdulgafar also sentenced Taiwo to a suspended term of six months imprisonment. The court ordered that the convict’s Black Toyota Corolla Car with registration number LRN237RA, Dell Laptop, and one IPhone 11 pro be forfeited to the federal government.

Similar sentence was imposed on Mark as the court jailed him six months, which shall be suspended, while ordering the forfeiture of the phone used in committing the crime.

READ ALSO: Facebook To Ban Contents That Sexually Harasses Public Figures

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On the other hand, Justice Akinpelu sentenced Olayinka to six months imprisonment each on count one and two, to run concurrently with option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) on each count.

In the same vein, the judge sentenced Abiodun to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira). The court also ordered the forfeiture of a draft of N135,000 (One Hundred and Thirty Five Thousand Naira) raised as restitution to the victim of the crime as well as iPhone XR used as instrumentality of the crime.

(VANGUARD)

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Crime

EFCC Arrests CEO Over ₦2bn Ponzi Scheme

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Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested the Chief Executive Officer of Gavice Logistics Limited, Ahamba Tochukwu, for allegedly defrauding several investors in his logistics investment schemes to the tune of ₦2 billion.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, the EFCC said Tochukwu, through Gavice Logistics Limited, rolled out elaborate investment plans covering haulage, courier, and e-commerce services, while promising investors a 50 per cent return on investment.

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The statement, signed by the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, added that investigations revealed Tochukwu collected more than ₦2 billion from 400 investors, who have since been unable to recover their capital.

READ ALSO:EFCC Orders Arrest Of Dismissed Officer On Lege Miami’s Show

It noted that the suspect went into hiding with the funds in November 2024 but has now been apprehended by the EFCC operatives and is currently being interrogated over the alleged Ponzi scheme.

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The EFCC advised Nigerians to be wary of patronising unverified investment schemes.

With his arrest, members of the public are advised to desist from patronising unverified pyramid schemes and fraudulent investment promoters in order to avoid being defrauded,” the EFCC warned.

READ ALSO:Things To Know About Procurement Fraud As A Nigerian – EFCC

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The PUNCH reports the commission had, on May 12, warned Nigerians, particularly the youth, to steer clear of Ponzi schemes, which it described as destructive and a threat to national security and economic growth.

This was after it raised the alarm that 58 illegal Ponzi scheme operators defrauded Nigerians under the guise of investment opportunities.

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Nigeria Police Go Tough On LGBT, Vow to Extradite Suspects From Abroad

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By Udiele Mercy

Men of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested two men in a hotel in Benin City for alleged involvement in homosexual activities in contravention of the laws of the State.

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The men whose identities were given as Dele Thompson and Steve Omobeke were reportedly nabbed during a routine raid on suspected black spots of gay activities in the state.

This particular arrest the police authorities say has got some international dimensions as investigations have revealed that the duo has links with some LGBT exponents in Canada and the United States of America.

Although the police gave no details beyond mentioning one Osamudiamen Monday Aimiuwuriamwen said to be mutual sex partner with Dele Thompson and a funding source for their nefarious activities in Nigeria, they however vowed to do everything humanly possible to arrest every member of the illicit sex gang from wherever they are presently.

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READ ALSO: Police Declare Man Wanted Over Homos*xual Act

The police said they have material evidence in the form of pictures and videos obtained from the suspect’s phone, implicating enough for them to prosecute the suspects.

According to the police, “we have photographs and videos extracted from the suspect’s showing where the outlaws in very compromising positions indicative of their involvement.

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“We are surprised that despite efforts by the force and other security agencies to stamp out LGBT practices in the state, many are still indulging in the unholy behavior.”

The command has communicated with the Force Headquarters to activate its extradition agreement with the Interpol to extradite members of the syndicate outside the shores of Nigeria,” said Chidi Nwabuzor, PPRO Edo State Police Command.

Besides the Nigerian State prohibiting same sex relationship through the enactment of the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act 2013, the Nigerian society frowns seriously at it to the extent of mobbing suspected LGBT exponents to death when caught in the act.

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The law that prescribed 14 years for convicts is considered too lenient by citizens who often prefer to take the laws into their hands.

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Suspected Gay Men In Trouble As Tradition, Police Hunt Them

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A young man identified as Festus Igbineweka is in serious trouble over his alleged participation in a gay party that went sour at his father’s house on 14 Oguola Road, off Siluko Road Benin City, resulting in his being beatien up along side his partners in crime, causing bodily injuries.

Festus and Osarugue it were allegedly caught in the act kissing and expressing love towards each other, with others including Vincent Obi, Frank Okoli, John Opakunle and Felix Obasuyi who were also having similar fun in their separate room in the same apartment, doing the same thing and later began to have sex on June 30, 2023.

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Eye witness account said that Festus Igbineweka reportedly got entangled with an old gay lover Osarugue Austine Edobor,now at large in an after party sex rump in Oguola, the traditional puritan enclave of the legendary Benin tradition which forbids same sex relationship.

The abominable secret meeting came to the open when Festus’ next-door neighbor Benard Akpata was knocking at the door because he was to drive out of the compound and Festus’s car was blocking the drive way. It was learnt that the renegades behaving to type had put on some loud music in the house to mask the pleasurable sounds from within.

Having knocked severally with no response, the said neighbour Bernard reportedly walked in and saw what was happening and promptly raised an alarm that drew the attention of distraught neighbours who descended on them with clubs and other dangerous weapons and repeatedly shouting, abomination!!!.

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The alarm caused confusion and rage as more persons got attracted to the crime scene and joined in the beating.

The suspects Festus Igbineweka, Vincent Obi, Frank Okoli,Felix Obasuyi and John Opakunle, after the mob attack were handed over to the police by the vigilante group in the area while the rest suspects Osarugue Austine Edobor and Darlington Itoya managed to escape.

The duo of Osarugue and Darlington who
managed to escape the mob attack, took advantage of the power outage that left the house in total darkness.

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Festus and his co travellers including Osarugue,Vincent Obi, Frank Okoli and John Opakunle are also wanted by the Edions (elders) of the area to perform some rituals meant to cleanse the land of the abominable act which can have dire consequences on innocent people if not exorcised.

The gay love birds including those on the run and those arrested are expected to present the atonement items which include, a live spotless white cow, 1000 cowrie shells, seven bottles of red palm oil, 100 pieces of kolanuts, 14 cloves of alligator pepper etc, while the host Fedtus Igbineweka and others arrested are also in the battle of Police prosecution.

Meanwhile, the gay exponents are unable to report the gang beating they suffered in the hand of the natives to the police because their involvement in same sex relationship, is a practice that has been criminalized in Nigeria under the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act 2013.

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According to our crime reporter who visited the Ogida Divisional Police Headquarters,the suspects denied involvement in the alleged same-sex practice.

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