A former employee of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Olayiwola Oguntade, has been sentenced to five years in prison by the High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme.
The conviction follows charges brought against Oguntade by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in October 2020. He faced a three-count amended charge, which included forgery, advance fee fraud, and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N10 million.
According to the EFCC, Oguntade defrauded Polybadan Microfinance Bank Ltd in 2010, through a false pretence operation involving Kola Al-Amin. The charge stated that Oguntade fraudulently obtained the sum of N10 million from the bank, violating provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
Throughout the trial, which lasted over four years, Oguntade denied the charges. However, the prosecution, represented by Oyelakin Oyediran and Lanre Suleiman, presented ten witnesses and submitted numerous incriminating documents that solidified the case against him.
On January 28, 2025, after reviewing the evidence, Justice Bayo Taiwo declared that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge concluded that Oguntade was guilty of the offences and sentenced him to five years in prison, without the option of a fine.
This conviction serves as a significant reminder of the ongoing efforts to tackle corruption and fraud within the country.
