Sam Abiola, a corps member currently serving in Kogi State alongside one Adebiyi Sodiq have been arraigned before a Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over separate charges bordering on love scam on Monday, February 1, 2021.
Abiola was arraigned on one count charge, while four counts were preferred against Sodiq. They both pleaded guilty to the charge filed against them.
The charge against Abiola reads: “That you, Sam Abiola (Missie Bonie) sometime between July, 2019 and September, 2019 in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this court did cheat by personation when you pretended to be one Missie Bonie a white female with Gmail account, missiebo271@gmail.com, and fraudulently deceived one Rick to send $550 to you through gift card after you made him believe you were in love with him and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the same Penal Code.”
For Sodiq, count three of the charge reads: “That you, Adebiyi Sodiq, (Alias: Maria Monica sometime in the month of August 2020, in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this court, did cheat by personation via your email address terrellwhite856@gmail.com to one Manny, by portraying yourself as a white female named Maria and induced him to send you his Cash App, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 324 of the Penal Code and punishable under the same Section of the Law.”
Upon Abiola’s guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, O. B Akinsola, invited to the witness box one Ali Mohammed, an operative of the EFCC to review the facts of the case.
Mohammed narrated how the defendant was arrested based on the anonymous petition received by the commission on the activities of fraudsters around Offa area of Kwara State. Documents showing fraudulent messages printed out of the email of the defendant were tendered and admitted in evidence.
In a similar fashion, Sesan Ola, prosecuting for EFCC on Sodiq’s case called on Eze Uchenna, an operative of the agency to review the facts of the case. Uchenna also narrated the defendant’s involvement in the alleged offence and tendered documents which were admitted in evidence.
Justice Akinpelu, while discharging the witnesses fixed February 11, for judgement.
