Photo: Court remands two in prison for internet fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, June 21, 2017, arraigned one suspected Internet fraudster, Folusho Oguntoyinbo, also known as Sydney, before Justice Hakeem Olatunde Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on a three-count charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N700, 000(Seven Hundred Thousand Naira).

One of the counts reads:

''That you, Folusho Oguntoyinbo (a.k.a. Sydney) sometime in 2016 in Lagos within the Ikeja judicial division, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of Seven Hundred Thousand Naira from Roy Torgerson by falsely representing to him that you were Sydney A., female, which representations you knew to be false."

The 31-year-old suspected fraudster, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him. In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Ayanfeoluwa Ogunsina, asked the court for a trial date and pleaded that the accused be remanded in prison custody.

However, the defence counsel, M.O. Lawal, told the court of a pending application for bail of his client.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter to July 13, 2017 for hearing of the bail application and ordered the accused to be remanded in prison custody.

In a related development, the EFCC also arraigned a member of a syndicate of Internet fraudsters, Ojo Adedayo, a.k.a. Kate, before Justice Oshodi on a three-count charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents. One of the counts reads: “That you, Ojo Adedayo (a.k.a. Kate) sometime in 2016 in Lagos within the Ikeja judicial division, with intent to defraud, had in your possession a document titled "Me", which document you knew contained false pretence."

However, the 22-year-old suspect pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter to July 13, 2017 for hearing of the bail application and remanded the suspect in prison custody.