Two brothers and eight others were on Wednesday March 24, 2021 handed various jail terms for impersonation, forgery and other crimes by Justice Mohammed Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The convicts are Beyioku Olatunji (a.k.a Bashorun), Beyioku Oluwayomi Oluwafemi (a.k.a Ola 1), Adeleke Ridwan Adekunle, AbdulFatai Waliu, Adelani Sarafa Yomi, Folarin Ikeoluwa Akinleye, Adebisi Abiola Victor, Adio Toheeb Oladimeji, Ogundulu Oluwashola Temitope and Amoo Rilwan Babatunde,
The Beyioku brothers, Olatunji and Oluwafemi, were arrested in November 2019 for allegedly falsely presenting themselves as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to defraud members of the public.
EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement on Wednesday that the two brothers were initially arraigned on January 23, 2020 before Justice Abubakar on 18 counts bordering on conspiracy, impersonation, forgery, money laundering and obtaining money under false pretenses.
They pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
However, they thereafter approached the commission for a plea bargain.
“Beyioku brothers and the eight other defendants today pleaded guilty to one count of impersonation separately filed against them the EFCC.
“Following their pleas, prosecution counsel Murtala Usman, Oyelakin Oyediran and Shamsuddeen Bashir prayed the court to convict them accordingly,” he said.
Justice Abubakar, in his judgment, convicted and sentenced Beyioku Olatunji Joe Oladapo and Beyioku Oluwayomi Oluwafemi to eighteen months imprisonment from the day of arrest without option of fine, while Adelani bagged twelve months imprisonment without option of fine.
The statement read further: “Adio was jailed six months with an option of N200,000; Adeleke and Waliu four months imprisonment with an option of N100,000 fine, while Ogundulu bagged four months with an option of N150,000 fine.
“Amoo was given three months jail term with an option of N200,000 fine while Adebisi and Folarin are to spend three months in a Correctional Centre. They, however, have an option of N150,000 fine each.”
The convicts were also ordered to pay restitutions to their victims. The Beyioku brothers are to restitute their victim, Tawakalitu Lasisi, through the EFCC the total sum of N1,450,000; Adelani, $3,900; Adeleke, $750; Wali, $130; Folarin, $500; Adebisi, $800 and N26,000; Adio, $1,500; Ogundulu, $100, and Amoo, N990,694,66.
The Beyioku brothers are to forfeit two iPhone 11, one white Nokia mobile phone, one black iPhone 8 plus mobile handset, one small black Nokia mobile phone, one black 4G LTE MTN mobile WiFi, one Gold Apple watch series 3 42MM, three Nigeria Police warrant cards belonging to Beyioku Yomi, one Nigeria Police warrant card belonging to Olatunji Joe, one gold necklace, one Honda Crosstour V6 with registration No: BASHORUN, one Mercedes Benz GLK 350 4MATIC with registration number OLA1
The eight other convicts are also to forfeit all items recovered from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria.