A self-proclaimed gospel singer and eight others have been convicted and sentenced by courts in Kwara State for various offences related to cybercrime, conspiracy, and misappropriation of funds.
The convictions followed prosecutions by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), according to a statement released on Friday, July 18, 2025, by the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.
One of the convicts, 31-year-old Moses Otitoju, a gospel singer from Iyamoye in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, was sentenced to six months in prison without the option of a fine by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Ilorin.
Otitoju, who described himself as a well-known gospel performer at events in Lokoja, was found guilty of retaining over N8.4 million traced to unlawful activities in his bank account.
The charge against him partly reads:
“That you, OTITOJU MOSES SESAN, sometime between October 2024 and December 2025, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did retain control of the gross sum of N8,404,339 in your account, being proceeds of criminal conduct, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) and (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004.”
Also convicted were Ayodele Joseph, Adeoye Joseph, and Abubakar Aliyu Abdulmalik, each found guilty on similar charges:
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Ayodele Joseph was sentenced to eight months imprisonment without an option of fine for retaining N243,750 in his account. His Tecno 19 mobile phone was forfeited to the Federal Government.
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Adeoye Joseph, from Okene LGA of Kogi State, received an eight-month sentence without the option of a fine. He also forfeited $220, an iPhone 13, and a Tecno Pop 9 phone.
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Abubakar Aliyu Abdulmalik was sentenced to six months in prison, and his iPhone 16 and Samsung S10 were forfeited to the Federal Government.
EFCC prosecutors Aliyu Adebayo, Sesan Ola, Rashidat Alao, and Mustapha Kaigama presented evidence including confessional statements, exhibits, and recovered funds, which were all admitted in court.
In a related development, Justices Haleema Saleeman and Sulaiman Akanbi of the Kwara State High Court also convicted five other individuals—Emeka Oluwatobi Achi, Isaac Babalola Oluwafemi, Afolabi Faith Olatoye, Zubeiru Zubeiru Junior, and Abdulkadir Taofeek—on charges involving cybercrime and misappropriation of funds.
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Justice Akanbi sentenced Abdulkadir Taofeek to three years imprisonment with an option of a N500,000 fine. Additionally, N800,000, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and a Samsung phone were forfeited to the Federal Government.
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Justice Saleeman sentenced Emeka, Isaac, and Afolabi to six months imprisonment each, with the option of paying a N100,000 fine. Emeka was also ordered to refund N3.35 million within three months and to report bi-weekly to the EFCC with his parents until full repayment is made.
The EFCC emphasized that these convictions are part of ongoing efforts to curb cybercrime and financial fraud across the country.
