Ondopress
The long arm of the law has caught up with a gospel singer and eight others, as courts in Ilorin, Kwara State, sentenced them to varying prison terms for cybercrime, conspiracy, and misappropriation of funds.
The convictions followed separate prosecutions by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Otitoju Moses Sesan, a 31-year-old gospel artiste from Iyamoye in Ijumu LGA of Kogi State, was sentenced to six months imprisonment without an option of a fine by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Ilorin.
Otitoju, who claimed in his statement to be a popular performer at weddings, naming ceremonies, and funerals in Lokoja, was found guilty of retaining over β¦8.4 million proceeds of unlawful activities in his bank account.
The charge against him partly read:
βThat you, OTITOJU MOSES SESAN, sometime between October 2024 and December 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did retain control of the gross sum of β¦8,404,339 in your UBA account, being proceeds of criminal conduct, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) and (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004.β
Otitoju was convicted alongside Ayodele Joseph Daisi, Adeoye Joseph, and Abubakar Aliyu Abdulmalik, who were also arraigned by the EFCC on similar charges.
Ayodele was sentenced to eight months imprisonment without an option of fine after being found to have retained β¦243,750 in his UBA account. His Techno 19 device was ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.
Adeoye, from Okene LGA in Kogi State, received eight months imprisonment without the option of a fine. The court also ordered the forfeiture of $220, an iPhone 13, and a Techno Pop 9 phone.
Abubakar was sentenced to six months in prison, with the court ordering the forfeiture of his iPhone 16 and Samsung S10 to the government.
EFCC counsel Aliyu Adebayo, Sesan Ola, Rashidat Alao, and Mustapha Kaigama prosecuted the cases, tendering confessional statements, exhibits, and sums recovered as restitution, all of which were admitted in evidence.
In a related development, Justices Haleema Saleeman and Sulaiman Akanbi of the Kwara State High Court convicted Emeka Oluwatobi Achi, Isaac Babalola Oluwafemi, Afolabi Faith Olatoye, Zubeiru Zubeiru Junior, and Abdulkadir Taofeek on charges ranging from cybercrime to misappropriation.
Justice Akanbi sentenced Abdulkadir to three years imprisonment with an option of a β¦500,000 fine, and ordered the final forfeiture of β¦800,000, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and a Samsung phone to the Federal Government.
Justice Saleeman sentenced Emeka, Isaac, and Afolabi to six months imprisonment each, with an option of β¦100,000 fine. Emeka was further ordered to refund β¦3.35 million within three months and to report to the EFCC every fortnight with his parents until full repayment is made.