Court Convicts Two ‘Yahoo Boys’: Pay Fine Of 400k Each Or Spend Two Yrs In Jail

Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, August 29, 2022, convicted and sentenced two internet fraudsters, better known as “Yahoo Boys”, Adikpo Diamond Aondover and Mathew Itodo Onyilo to one year jail term each.

Justice Mohammed however, gave them an option of fine of N400k each.

Two Internet Fraudsters Bag Two Years Jail Term In Makurdi

The conviction of the duo was secured by the Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

They were  jailed after pleading guilty to one- count separate charge preferred against them by the Makurdi Zonal Command of the commission.

The charge against Aondover reads:

“That you, Adikpo Diamond Aondover, sometime in 2021 at Makurdi, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one Elliott Winston Diamond from Worcester, Massachusetts, (United States of American Citizen) via your mobile No. 08084695597 and 07088598890 with intent to gain advantage to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2)(b) (i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the same Act”.

The charge against Onyilo  reads:

“That you, Mathew Itodo Onyilo sometime in June 2022 in Otukpo Benue State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one Harold Marlar through his Instagram username with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(b)(i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under subsection (iv) of the same Act”.

A statement issued on Monday evening by the Spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the two pleaded “guilty” to the charge when it was read to them.

According to him, in view of their pleas, prosecution counsels: Mary Onoja and M. Yusuf, respectively reviewed the facts of the cases before the court, while praying that the convicts be sentenced accordingly.

“Delivering judgment, Justice Muhammed sentenced  Aondover  to one year imprisonment, with an option of fine in the sum of N400,000.00 ( Four Hundred Thousand Naira),” Uwujaren said.

“Onyilo was also sentenced to one year imprisonment with an option of fine in the sum of N400,000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Naira). Also, the Iphone 7 used in committing the crime was  forfeited to  Federal Government of Nigeria while the  two bank accounts used by the convicts to access funds were closed by the court.”

The statement added that the two convicts started their journey to the Correctional Centre when they were arrested by operatives of the Makurdi Zonal Command of the EFCC for impersonating foreigners and defrauding their victims through false claims.

In other news, Kanyi Daily had reported that Justice Mojisola Dada of a special offences court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos had given an option of one million naira fine to an internet fraudster, Olamilekan Wasiu Durojaiye, who was convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment.