The convicts were said to have conspired together to steal Aregbesola’s phone at the Government Technical College, Osogbo, on
27 November 2010, during his inauguration as governor of the state.
The convicts were said to have used the phone to dupe unsuspecting friends of the governor, including the traditional ruler of Ijesaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, of various sums of money.
It would be recalled that one Kelvin Igahodowa and one other had earlier been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for the same offence on three-count charge of stealing and fraud.
Ogunjobi and Yusuf had since 2011 been standing trial on the matter after their arrest and subsequent detention by the police.
Delivering judgment, Justice Oyejide Falola said the convicts were guilty of the five counts charge of conspiracy, fraud, impersonation, obtaining property under false pretence and stealing levelled against them and thereby ordered them to serve a 27-year jail
term.
Justice Falola averred that the court established that the convicts had used Governor Aregbesola’s Sony Erricson mobile phone to defraud unsuspecting members of the public including the Owa Obokun of Ijesha
land, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran.
He said the offences committed by the convicts were contrary to and punishable under sections 8 (C), 1 (3), (1c) and 1(3) of the advance fee fraud and other related offences Act, 2006.
He added that the offences were also contrary to and punishable under sections 390 and 484 of the criminal code, Cap.34 Laws of Osun State 2002.
The prosecution team from the state Ministry of Justice led by Mr. Dapo Adeniji, tendered many exhibits against the convicts.
Counsel to the convicts, Mr. Akin Ladipo, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy but the court refused.
Source: Daily Independent
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