Court Sentences Crime Alert Security Network Boss to 75Years Imprisonment
Justice Bayo Taiwo of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, on Thursday, December 14, 2023 convicted and sentenced Olaniyan Gbenga Amos to seventy five, 75, years imprisonment for multiple investment fraud.
He was convicted alongside his firm, Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited.
They were prosecuted on 35-count count charges by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, bordering on obtaining by false pretences, contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.
In view of his plea, EFCC Counsel, Sanusi Galadanchi opened the case on February 17, 2022 and called six witnesses, tendered eight exhibits and closed the case on January 24, 2023. At the end of the prosecution’s case, the defendant filed a “no case submission” which was overruled by the court. Consequently, the defendant opened and closed his case by calling three witnesses. Thereafter, Justice Taiwo reserved judgment in the matter till December 14, 2023.
At the resumption of the trial on Thursday, December 14, 2023, Justice Taiwo convicted and sentenced the defendant to fifteen (15) years imprisonment on each of counts 27, 32, 33, 34, and 35 but discharged and acquitted the defendant on counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ,8, 9; 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19; 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29; 30 and 31 respectively.
Furthermore, the court ordered that the sentence should run concurrently and the defendant should also restitute the victims.
Amos has three other ongoing trials before Federal and State High Courts in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The convict’s journey to the Correctional Centre began when he was arrested and arraigned before Justice Bayo Taiwo on December 14, 2021 by the EFCC. He swindled several individuals through fake investment ventures that led to the loss of money to the tune of over N1 billion by investors.
Amos deliberately reneged to meet up with the agreements he made with his investors, by not paying the agreed “Return on Investment” to those who invested in “Crime Alert Security Network”, a security investment programme under the umbrella of his firm.
