CALABAR, NIGERIA – The Calabar Division of the Court of Appeal has confirmed the conviction of Scales Olatunji, a notorious international fraudster, who was found guilty of internet fraud and money laundering by a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The appellate court dismissed Olatunji’s appeal and upheld the 235-year prison sentence without an option of a fine.
Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court had previously convicted Olatunji on June 27, 2022, on forty-five count charges of internet fraud and money laundering brought against him by the Economic and Financial Commission, EFCC, Uyo Zonal Command.
The prosecution of Olatunji ensued after the EFCC received a petition from the Oslo Police District in Norway, requesting assistance in investigating a group of Nigerian individuals who had repeatedly defrauded Norwegian citizens.
Investigations by the EFCC revealed that Olatunji was part of a syndicate of internet fraudsters specializing in Business Email Compromise, BEC.
He was found to have defrauded the Norwegian Government and its citizens of a staggering N525,172,580 (Nigerian Naira).
Olatunji used the illicit proceeds to acquire luxurious properties in prime areas in Lagos State.
The crimes committed by Olatunji were in violation of Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and are punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
Unsatisfied with the judgment of the Federal High Court, Olatunji appealed the conviction, presenting 11 grounds of appeal and pleading with the appellate court to overturn Justice Okeke’s verdict.
The EFCC’s counsel, Nwandu Ukoha, argued against Olatunji’s appeal, urging the Court of Appeal to affirm the lower court’s judgment and reject the appeal, stating that “the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubts.”
On Friday, June 30, 2023, the three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Muhammed Baba Idris, delivered its judgment.
The panel upheld the conviction of Scales Olatunji and dismissed his appeal, effectively confirming his 235-year prison sentence.
This judgment sends a strong message of the Nigerian judiciary’s commitment to combating internet fraud and money laundering.
It also demonstrates the importance of international cooperation in tackling cross-border crimes.
