Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Lagos has convicted and sentenced Olukeye Adedayo Olalekan to a total of 76 years imprisonment after finding him guilty on all 18 counts brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The offences relate to the distribution and procurement of child pornography, cyberstalking, retention of proceeds of fraud, disguising the origin of fraudulent funds, and obtaining property under false pretences.
Olalekan initially pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on September 6, 2023, before Justice Tijjani Ringim.
The case was later reassigned and heard de novo before Justice Kehinde Ogundare and again started afresh, before Justice Alexander Owoeye.
Following his bail application, which the court reviewed and granted, trial proceedings commenced.
During the trial, the prosecution called five witnesses, including two investigators, whose testimonies formed a critical part of the prosecution’s case.
EFCC’s counsel, Bilkisu Buhar-Bala told the court that Investigations revealed the British Columbia Serious Crime Unit had opened an inquiry into the murder of a 14-year-old, Robin Janjus, who was found dead at home. Digital forensics on the victim’s phone led authorities to social media accounts operated by the defendant.
An undercover operation was subsequently launched, revealing that the defendant had posed as a female from North Carolina.
Through platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram, he solicited and obtained property under false pretences, threatened to transmit nude images of minors, and engaged in multiple fraudulent transactions involving gift cards and cryptocurrency.
