Kwara State
Taiwo Ogunniyi
Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, sentenced a self-styled spiritualist, Odeyemi Hammed Oluwaseun, to one year imprisonment for internet fraud.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Head of Media & Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Dele Oyewale, and made available to journalists in Ilorin on Thursday.
Oluwaseun, 23, who hails from Oyo State, was prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC on a two-count charge bordering on internet fraud, impersonation, and obtaining by false pretenses.
One of the charges revealed that the convict dishonestly induced a victim, Bose, to send $3,200 worth of gift cards under the pretense of using diabolical means to reconcile her with her ex-husband.
He impersonated a female spiritualist named “Lord Hill” through an email account, hillor674@gmail.com.
Another charge stated that Oluwaseun defrauded another victim, Schneider Alina, of $4,500 worth of gift cards, claiming he could spiritually influence her ex-boyfriend to return to her.
He used an Instagram account, _Visions_by_Tendo_12, to carry out the fraud.
During court proceedings, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charges.
The EFCC counsel, Sesan Ola, presented evidence, including the convict’s extra-judicial statements and items recovered, such as $1,000, an iPhone 15, and a 2008 Toyota Camry.
In his judgment, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Oluwaseun to a six-month suspended jail term on each of the two counts.
He also ordered the forfeiture of the recovered items to the federal government.
The EFCC warned the public to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to internet fraudsters.