A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has sentenced a self-proclaimed spiritualist, Odeyemi Oluwaseun, to one year imprisonment for internet fraud.
The conviction was handed down following his prosecution by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Charges Against Oluwaseun
Oluwaseun was arraigned on a two-count charge of fraud, impersonation, and obtaining by false pretenses.
In the first charge, the court heard that in December 2023, Oluwaseun posed as “Lord Hill,” a female spiritualist, and convinced a victim, Bose, to send him $3,200 worth of gift cards.
He falsely claimed the gift cards would be used for spiritual rituals to reconcile her with her ex-husband.
The second charge detailed how Oluwaseun impersonated another female spiritualist on Instagram under the handle _Visions_by_Tendo_12. Between August and September 2023, he duped another victim, Schneider Alina, into sending $4,500 worth of gift cards, under the pretext of using them for rituals to bring back her ex-boyfriend.
Court Proceedings
During the hearing, Oluwaseun pleaded guilty to the charges. The prosecution counsel, Sesan Ola, presented evidence, including the convict’s extrajudicial statements, a recovered $1,000, an iPhone 15, and a 2008 Toyota Camry. The counsel urged the court to convict Oluwaseun as charged.
Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Oluwaseun to a six-month suspended sentence for each count.
Additionally, he ordered the forfeiture of the recovered $1,000, the iPhone, and the car to the federal government.
Background of the Convict
The 23-year-old Oluwaseun, hailing from Oyo State, used fake identities to defraud his victims. He claimed to possess spiritual powers capable of reuniting estranged couples, preying on vulnerable women through online platforms.
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