In a groundbreaking judgment on Thursday, December 14, 2023, Justice Bayo Taiwo of the Oyo State High Court sentenced Olaniyan Gbenga Amos, the CEO of Crime Alert, to an unprecedented 75 years in prison.
The conviction comes as a result of a meticulous legal battle led by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), exposing Amos’s involvement in multiple investment fraud cases.
Accompanied by his firm, Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited, Amos faced a 35-count charge, accused of obtaining funds through false pretenses. The charges, brought under Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act 2006, included deceptive practices leading to substantial financial losses.
One specific charge highlighted the accused’s fraudulent actions, stating that on February 20, 2020, Amos and his firm obtained N1,540,000 from an individual, promising a 30% return on investment in six weeks.
Similar deceptive tactics were outlined in other charges, totaling over N1 billion in losses suffered by investors.
Despite pleading “not guilty,” Amos faced a comprehensive legal battle.
The EFCC Counsel, Sanusi Galadanchi, presented the case, calling six witnesses and submitting eight exhibits. The trial spanned from February 17, 2022, to January 24, 2023, with the defendant’s attempt at a “no case submission” overruled by the court.
Justice Taiwo’s judgment, delivered on December 14, 2023, saw Amos convicted and sentenced to 15 years on multiple counts, while being acquitted on others.
The court ruled that the sentences would run concurrently, emphasizing restitution for the victims.
This conviction is not Amos’s only legal hurdle, as he faces three other ongoing trials before Federal and State High Courts in Ibadan, Oyo State. His journey to a Correctional Centre began on December 14, 2021, when he was arrested and arraigned before Justice Bayo Taiwo, marking a significant victory for justice and a stern warning to those engaged in fraudulent financial activities.
