Kwara Courts Jail One for Illegal Possession of Solid Minerals, Three others for Internet Fraud

Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Ilorin has convicted and sentenced a truck driver, Olamilekan Basit to one year imprisonment for being in possession of solid minerals without lawful authorisation.

Olamilekan was arrested in Balla, Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State for unlawfully transporting 30 tons of assorted solid minerals without proper authorization.

Also convicted and sentenced by the judge is a 25-year-old professional photographer, Oyerinde Gbolahan Sodiq, who bagged three hundred hours community service at five hours per day for offences that border on internet fraud. Also convicted by the same judge are Ibrahim Ismail Aranfajo, a phone seller.

Maruf Ridwan Babawale was convicted and sentenced by Justice Haleema Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin.

The conviction and sentencing of the defendants followed their arraignment by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate charges.

The charge against Basit reads: "That you, Olamilekan Basit on or about the 11th Day of June 2024. at Balla, ASA Local Government Area of Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority, came into possession of minerals to wit: Thirty tons of minerals, conveyed in a Truck, with offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 134 (b) of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007"

That of Sodiq reads: "That you, Oyerinde Gbolahan Sodiq, on or about the the 6th day of August 2024 to 17th February 2025 in Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one Vickie Mary with intent to gain advantage for yourself from I've Canner, whom you chatted with via your telegram Account number +12136826219, and did gain $550; you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 22 (2) (I) of the cybercrime (prohibition prevention,Etc.) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (2) (b)(IV) of the same Act"

They all pleaded “guilty” to their charges, following which prosecution counsel, Rashidat Alao and Mustapha Kaigama reviewed the facts of the cases by calling witnesses who narrated the circumstances that led to their arrests, tendered exhibits recovered from them and urged the court to consider the facts of the cases and convict and sentence the defendants as charged.

Awogboro sentenced Basit to one year imprisonment or to pay a N1million fine. In addition, he is to pay the sum of N5million as royalty to the federal government.

He sentenced Sodiq to 300 hours of community service at five hours per day without an option of fine. In addition, he forfeited the sum of $300, being part of the proceeds of his crime and his iPhone 12 Promax being the tool of his crime to the federal government. He was also ordered to pay $200, being the remainder of the proceeds of his crime or spend two months in prison after the completion of his community service.

He convicted and sentenced Aranfajo to 300 hours of community service at five hours per day without an option of fine. In addition, he forfeited his iPhone 6x to the federal government, while Justice Saleeman sentenced Maruf to six months imprisonment or to pay N200,000 fine. In addition, he forfeited his iPhone 11 Pro to the federal government, and to restitute the sum of $300 to his victim.