EFCC convicts mother, son who spent N5.6m on sports betting for false information

The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the conviction of one Oluwayemisi Samuel and her Son, Joshua Samuel, before Justice A.A Bello of the Kaduna State High Court for false information.

The agency made this known in a statement shared via its website on Wednesday.

According to the statement, Oluwayemisi and her son spent N5.6M on sports betting and caused a false petition to be submitted to the agency, alleging that the money was fraudulently withdrawn from their account and transferred to a sports betting account without their knowledge.

The separate counts read, “That you, Oluwayemisi Samuel (F) and Hezekiah Samuel (now at large) sometime in March, 2023 in Kaduna State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, committed an offence to wit; wilfully gave false information to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which information was used to carry out investigation on your complaint to the Commission, which information you knew to false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 16(2) of the same Act.

“That you, Joshua Samuel (M) and Hezekiah Samuel ( now at large) sometime in March, 2023 in Kaduna State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, committed an offence to wit; wilfully gave false information to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which information was used to carry out investigation on your complaint to the Commission, which information you knew to false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 16(2) of the same Act”.

They pleaded guilty to the charges. Justice Bello however convicted and sentenced both defendants to seven years imprisonment each with an option of N150,000 fine.