Internet Fraud Suspect Makes U-turn, Changes Plea From Guilty To Not Guilty

By Steve Oni, Ilorin

The Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned a 21-old student of the University of Ilorin, Itanola Abdulsamad, on a four count charge bordering on internet fraud and other fraud related offences.

Abdulsamad was re-arraigned before Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin..

Count two of the charge reads: “That you, Itanola Abdulsamad, Popoola Afolami (at large) and Olayeni Yemi (at large) sometime between 2018 and 2019, at Ilorin within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court fraudulently induced several unsuspecting foreigners vide the internet to deliver to you digital currency from which you benefited $950 (nine hundred and fifty United States Dollars) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 321 of the penal code and punishable under section 324 of the same penal code.”

At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, Counsel to the defendant, Adewale Olatunde, told the Presiding Judge that: “My Lord, my client has informed me that he wants to change his plea from guilty to not guilty, I humbly urge your Lordship to allow the charge be read to the defendant for him to change his plea.”

When the four count charges were therefore re-read, Abdulsamad pleaded not guilty.

Justice Oyinloye thereafter adjourned till 29th of October 2020 for the prosecution to open its case against the defendant.