Romace Scam: Unilorin Student to Clear Drainage For 3 Months

Romace Scam: Unilorin Student to Clear Drainage For 3 Months

• Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Coourt, sitting in Ilorin has convicted and sentenced Akinsanya Olamide Ridwan, a four hundred level undergraduate of the University of Ilorin to three months Community Service for committing romance scam.

The service requires him to clear the drainage at Bekind filing Station near Tipper Garage, Tanke up to the gate of the University of Ilorin for Three Months commencing from September 2, 2020.

Ridwan got the jail term on Monday, August 31, 2020 after being arraigned on one one-count charge, bordering on internet fraud and other fraud-related offences by the Ilorin zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC)

The charge read: “That you,Akinsanya Riwan (a.k.a Alex James) sometime in March, 2020 or thereabout at Ilorin, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court attempted to commit an offence of cheating by personation by pretending and representing yourself to be a white man called Alex James to an unsuspected white woman, Stewart Sonia on a dating site called Hangout as it is contained in your gmail account: [email protected] and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 95 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria”

The defendant pleaded guilty to the one-count charge.

While reviewing the facts of the case, Mahmoud Ibrahim Hamman, an Assistant Detective Superintendent with the EFCC, Ilorin zonal office told the court ” My Lord, the defendant was arrested on March 16, 2020 at Pipeline, behind Princess hotel, Ilorin Kwara State, based on intelligence”.

“A search was conducted in his house and one Galaxy phone and laptop were recovered, we analysed them and discovered an email box where several fraudulent messages were printed in his presence ”

Delivering judgment on the matter, Justice Oyinloye convicted and sentenced the defendant, based on exhibits tendered and the proof of evidence brought before the court.
The Judge ordered the convict to clear the drainage at Bekind filing Station near Tipper Garage, Tanke up to the gate of the University of Ilorin for Three Months commencing from September 2, 2020.

He said the convict should get a notice of clearance from the Registrar of the University of Ilorin and the Kwara State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service, adding that failure to do so would attract him six months imprisonment.

The court also ordered the convict to pay a fine of Fifty Thousand Naira( N50,000) in addition to the Community Service.

In a related development, the Kwara State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ayinla Salman Jawondo has solicited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) to assist the Kwara State Government in recovering funds and assets allegedly looted by corrupt individuals.

Jawondo made the appeal on Monday, August 31, 2020 when he led a delegation from the State Ministry of Justice on a Courtesy visit to the Ilorin Zonal Office of the Commission.

According to him ” we know as a fact that the EFCC is a very delicate institution, The Commission needs the support of every Agency to survive. The Kwara State Ministry of Justice is on ground to give you maximum support, we have seen the number of convictions and recoveries made in this office, we are here to identify with you ”

Jawondo, however, appealed to the EFCC to assist the State Government in recovering its stolen funds and properties from those who have looted the resources.

Responding, the Ilorin Zonal Head of the EFCC, Kazeem Oseni appreciated the delegation and promised that the EFCC would be willing to render any lawful assistance to the state government.

Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
31/08/2020