Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan on Monday sentenced a suspect, Adeniran Rasheed Adesina (a.k.a. Bella Danner), to six months in prison for obtaining money under false pretence.
The convict had earlier been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one-count charge.
The charge read: “That Adeniran Rasheed Adesina (a.k.a. Bella Danner), sometimes in 2019, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained various gift cards worth of $250 (Two Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars) from one Luis Barrera, a white male, when you falsely represented to him that you are a white female by name Bella Danner that is in love with him and other pretences, which representations you knew to be false.”
Adesina pleaded guilty to the charge, prompting the prosecuting counsel, Lanre Abdulrasheed, to pray the court to convict him accordingly.
His counsel, Hammed Opasola, however prayed the court to consider a sentence of community service.
Justice Akintola sentenced the accused to six months in prison with effect from the date of his arrest, June 30, 2020.
The court also ordered him to restitute to his victims through the EFCC the sum of $250 (Two Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars).
He is to equally forfeit his Infinix Hot5 Mobile Phone to the Federal Government.
Similarly, Justice Akintola has ordered that a suspected internet fraudster, Damilare Tolu Ogunleke, be remanded in EFCC custody pending the hearing of his case.
Ogunleke had on Monday pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge of obtaining property under false pretence preferred against him by the Commission.
One of the counts read: “That you Damilare Tolu Ogunleke ‘M’ sometimes in the year 2019, at Ogbomosho, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained Gift Cards worth of 45000 (Five Thousand United States of American Dollars) from one Porter Patten by falsely representing to him that you are a female and other pretences, which pretences you knew to be false.”
Counsel to the defendant, Tunde Olupona, informed the court that his client has already made all necessary restitution and had also paid all the money involved and prayed for a plea bargain.
In order to give time for the two parties to reach a compromise, the presiding judge adjourned to October 6 for hearing.