A FEDERAL High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has sentenced a gospel singer, Moses Otitoju, and others to jail for offences bordering on misappropriation of funds, cybercrime, and conspiracy.
Otitoju, a self-styled gospel singer, was sentenced alongside Adeoye Joseph, Abubakar Abdulmalik, and Ayodele Joseph.
The alleged offences were brought against them by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and they were charged.
The spokesperson of the commission, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Friday, July 18, said the 31-year-old gospel singer, Otitoju, hails from Iyamoye in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
He was sentenced to six months without the option of a fine by the judge, Abimbola Awogboro.
Otitoju was found guilty of retaining the proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to over N8.4 million in his bank account.
The charge against him reads that Otitoju allegedly retained control of N8,404,339 in his account between October 2024 and December 2025, which was proceeds of criminal conduct. This act was said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) and (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004.
On his part, Ayodele, who was found to have retained N243,750 in his bank account, was sentenced to eight months imprisonment without the option of a fine.
He was ordered to forfeit his Tecno 19 phone to the federal government.
Another suspect, Adeoye, from Okene LGA of Kogi State, was handed eight months imprisonment without an option of fine as well.
Similarly, Adeoye was ordered to forfeit the sum of $220, an iPhone 13, and a Tecno Pop 9 phone to the federal government.
Abubakar was sentenced to six months imprisonment, with an order of forfeiture of his iPhone -16 and Samsung S10 to the federal government.
The EFCC prosecution team, led by Aliyu Adebayo, Sesan Ola, Rashidat Alao, and Mustapha Kaigama, presented evidence, including statements, exhibits, and recovered funds, in court.
In a related development, judges Haleema Saleeman and Sulaiman Akanbi of the Kwara State High Court convicted Emeka Achi, Isaac Oluwafemi, Afolabi Olatoye, Zubeiru Junior, and Abdulkadir Taofeek on charges including cybercrime and misappropriation.
Abdulkadir was sentenced to three years with an option of a N500,000 fine and ordered the final forfeiture of N800,000, one iPhone 14 Pro Max, and a Samsung phone to the Federal Government. Emeka, Isaac, and Afolabi bagged six months each with an option of a N100,000 fine.
Emeka was further directed to refund N3.35 million within three months and to report every fortnight with his parents to the EFCC until full repayment is made.
A reporter with the ICIR
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