No mercy for ex-convict Joshua Ajayi, judge jails him for 28 years

No mercy for ex-convict Joshua Ajayi, judge jails him for 28 years

A 29-year-old ex-convict, Oluwatobi Joshua Ajayi has been sentenced to 28 years imprisonment for impersonating the Dean Student Affairs, University of Ilorin.

He was convicted for defrauding unsuspecting students seeking to pay school fees and hostel accommodation.

Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin passed the judgment on 29 November.

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 arraigned Joshua Ajayi on a four-count charge of fraud, attempt to defraud and impersonation.

He pleaded guilty.

Ajayi, had sometime in June 2020 been convicted by Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court for a similar offence.

After spending time at Mandala Correctional Centre, the convict went back to crime, and was again arrested by operatives of the EFCC and brought before the court.

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Following the plea of guilt entered by the defendant, prosecuting counsel, Andrew Akoja, presented a witness, one Musa Muhmmad Sani, an operative of the EFCC.

Sani reviewed the facts of the case and presented documents to establish the culpability of the defendant in the crime.

Akoja urged the court to consider the uncontroverted evidence of the prosecution before it, the admittance of guilt by the defendant and convict him as charged.

Delivering judgment, Justice Abdulgafar said the material evidence placed before the court has shown that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge pronounced Joshua guilty of the four counts and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently.

The court also ordered the convict to restitute his victims.