MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 58-year old convicted fraudster, Ismail Adeniyi, has reportedly opted to serve four years imprisonment rather than pay N1.6 million restitution to the complainant as ordered by the Court in Oyo State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Iyaganku Chief Magistrate Court in Ibadan, on Tuesday, presided by the Chief Magistrate, Mr. E.A. Idowu, gave the judgment having found Adeniyi guilty of fraud.
Mr. Idowu ordered the convict to pay N1.6 million restitution to the complainant and sentenced him to a two-week community service within the Court premises.
However, the Magistrate ordered that:
“If the convict cannot pay N1.6 million as restitution to the complainant with the community service, he must serve four years imprisonment at Agodi correctional facility, Ibadan, in lieu of restitution.
“This will serve as a deterrent to other fraudsters like him,” the Chief magistrate said.
The Police Prosecutor, DSP Amos Adewale, had told the Court that Adeniyi had, on 18th December, 2019, at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Challenge, Ibadan, fraudulently converted the sum of N7.2 million paid into his account number: 0015591229.
Adewale stated that the defendant’s account was used for onward transfer to another account, belonging to one Awoye Adebayo, without the consent of the complainant.
He said that the convict then converted the sum of N7.2 million, being property of Ibikunle Babatunde, to his own use which is contrary to the provisions of Section 383 and punishable under Section 390(8)(b) and (9) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State.
Having found guilty and sentenced accordingly, Adeniyi was moved to the correctional facility, where he will spend the next four years as he claimed that he had no such money to give to the complainant and so it was better for him to serve the sentence and regain his freedom after those years.