An Ikeja Special Offences Court has sentenced one Babatunde Rufai, also known as Richard Abben, to nine months imprisonment for internet fraud.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo convicted Rufai following his plea of guilty to a three-count charge bordering on stealing and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of $5,000 (about N2million).
The judge also ordered that the three exotic cars recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The convict, who is the owner and promoter of “Wear It All Boutique” in Lekki, Lagos, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on March 5, 2020.
Following Rufai’s plea, EFCC counsel Hamed Yerima told the judge that the convict had struck a plea bargain deal with the defence team.
Yerima prayed the court to adopt same and sentence the defendant based on the terms of the agreement.
Justice Taiwo granted his prayer.
She adopted the terms of the plea bargain and convicted the defendant accordingly. “I am mindful of this type of crime in our society, which is giving our country a bad image all over the world.
“However, in view of the plea bargain agreement, the defendant is hereby sentenced to nine months in prison, with an option of fine of N400,000 to be paid to the account of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the office of the EFCC,” Justice Taiwo held.
IG pledges dilligent prosecution of Olakunrin’s killers
From Nicholas Kalu, Abuja
⦁ Police parade suspects
⦁ Declare gang leader wanted
Suspected killers of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Afenifere leader Chief Reuben Fasoranti, have been arrested, police said on Thursday.
Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu said the suspects will be dilligently prosecuted.
Olakunrin was killed by unknown persons on Ondo-Ore Road, Ondo State, on July 12, 2019.
Adamu, on July 13, 2019, deployed the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) Fimihan Adeoye to coordinate the special force put together to fish out the killers.
Force spokesman DCP Frank Mba in a statement yesterday said that after months of relentless efforts to apprehend the killers, the police team has arrested the suspected killers.
The suspects are Lawal Mazaje, 40, from Felele, Kogi State; Adamu Adamu, 50, from Jada, Adamawa State; Mohammed Shehu Usman, 26, from Illela, Sokoto State, and Auwal Abubakar, 25, from Shinkafi, Zamfara State
Mba said, “After months of relentless efforts to apprehend the killers, the police team, on March 4, 2020 during a follow-up action on a case of a high-profile armed robbery and kidnap for ransom that occurred in Ogun State, arrested one Auwal Abubakar ‘m’ 25yrs, an accessory after the fact of the crime, along Sagamu-Ore Expressway in Ondo State. The arrest of Auwal Abubakar led to the arrest of two other members of the gang, Mohammed Shehu Usman and Lawal Mazaje in Benin, Edo State from whom a cache of ammunition was recovered, and one other Adamu Adamu in Akure, Ondo State.
“Having established sufficient physical and forensic evidence linking the suspects to the killing of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the investigators, determined to clear all doubts relating to their findings, on April 8, 2020, conducted an identification parade at the Federal SARS Headquarters, Lagos which led to the positive and physical identification of three suspects, Adamu Adamu, Lawal Mazaje and Mohammed Shehu Usman by a survivor of the earlier crime. The survivor gave a clear description of the roles each of the identified suspects played in the killing. At this point, the suspects capitulated and voluntarily offered a no-holds-barred confession on how Mrs Funke Olakunrin was killed.
“The eight-man gang has their operational base and membership spread in the southwestern part of the country and Edo State. Investigations have also revealed that they are responsible for series of high-profile armed robbery and kidnap operations in the region.
“Consequently, the Inspector General of Police hereby declares the principal suspect, Tambaya (other names unknown) wanted for his involvement in the death of Mrs Funke Olakunrin. Tambaya, a Nigerian, speaks Hausa, Fulfulde and Pidgin English languages. He is fair in complexion and in his late 20s – between the age of 27 and 30. His last known address is Isanlu, Kogi State. He has a visible scar from stitches on his forehead down to his nose and mouth.”