An internet fraudster has been sentenced to 24 years in prison by a court in Oyo state.
Raphael Ayomide Davies
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Monday, June 15, 2020, convicted Raphael Ayomide Davies of money laundering, and sentenced him to 24 years imprisonment.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office had on Monday, February 19, 2018 arraigned one Raphael before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, on an eight-count charge of money laundering.
Raphael was arraigned following an anonymous petition alleging that a syndicate of fraudsters who resides at Kola area, Oluyole, Ibadan was into fraudulent activities.
Investigation into the petition by operatives of Commission revealed that members of the syndicate - Davies Ayomide Raphael and two others at large (Oyewole Segun Samuel and Adeyemi Adewumi Segun) specialized in internet scam through which they defraud innocent people, while using fictitious address to purchase items online such as cars and furniture with fake PayPal.
It was also discovered that the defendant also engages in online dating to defraud unsuspecting victims.
One of the counts reads:
“That you, Davies Ayomide Raphael, Adeyemi Adewumi Segun (at large) and Oyewole Segun Samuel (at large) on or about the 4th of January 2016, at Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Federal High Court, did agree amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: money laundering and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act”.
Another charge reads:
“That you, Davies Ayomide Raphael on the 20th of June 2016, at Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Federal High Court, did directly take possession of the sum of N235,000.00 (Two Hundred and Thirty Five Thousand Naira) only transferred to you by Adeyemi Adewumi Segun which sum you knew or reasonably ought to have known form part of the proceeds of your unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act”.