Inmate uses Gov Aregbesola stolen Phone to Swindle People

An Osun State counsel, Mr Biodun Badiora, on Wednesday explained to an Osogbo High Court how a suspect, Kelvin Ighodalo, used the telephone of Governor Rauf Aregbesola to swindle unsuspecting members of the public.

During the case before Justice Oyejide Falola, Badiora said Ighodalo used Aregbesola’s phone, which was stolen on November 26, 2010, while he was being inaugurated as governor, in Osogbo, to swindle some close associates of the governor.

Although Ighodalo was not in court during the resumed hearing of the case, Badiora told the court that all was set for the prosecution of Kelvin who was in prison custody.

Two others suspects, Babatunde Ogunjobi, and Abdulgafar Yusuf, were also arraigned and charged with conspiracy, obtaining property under false pretences, stealing and impersonation.

Defence counsel, Mr Akin Ladipo, entered a “no case submission” but the prosecution counsel described the “no case submission” as surprising, noting that the submission would slow down court proceeding.

Badiora said the governor’s associates paid money into the accused persons’ account which they withdrawn.

Ladipo, however, insisted that the two accused persons were innocent conduit pipes, who were unsuspicious of the motive of Kelvin, whom they gave their bank accounts to.

Justice Falola adjourned the case to March 14, 2013, for ruling on the no case submission. http://www.punchng.com/metro/how-inmate-used-aregbesolas-phone-for-fraud/

An Osogbo High Court on Monday sentenced a dismissed police officer, Kelvin Ighodalo, to 45 years imprisonment for stealing the cell phone of  Governor Rauf Aregbesola of  Osun.

The accused was arraigned on a six-count charge of conspiracy, theft, obtaining by false pretence, obtaining by force and impersonation, among other offences.

Justice Jide Falola of  High Court 5, citing Section 1, Sub-section 1, paragraph `C’ of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and Section 218 Cap 35, Laws of  Osun State, 2003,  found the accused guilty as charged.

The accused was sentenced to 10 years for each of  counts 1, 2 and 3 and 5 years each for three other counts.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

The defence counsel, Mr Ngu Amaechi, had earlier urged the court to consider community service sentence since the accused had served previous jail terms.

But the counsel to the plaintiff, Tiamiyu Adegboyega, expressed his satisfaction with  the judgement.

The  governor’s  cell  phone was stolen  on Nov.  28, 2010, at his swearing-in-ceremony.

Six months later, Mr. Ighodalo,  a dismissed police officer, used the phone to swindle the governor’s friends and associates.

The accused had earlier served jail terms for murder, theft and political thuggery. http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131954-nigerian-man-bags-45-years-imprisonment-for-stealing-governor-aregbesolas-phone.html