A final year student of the University of Port Harcourt, Henry Nathaniel Ekanem, has been convicted and sentenced to fourteen (14) years imprisonment for internet fraud.
Ekanem, was jailed on Wednesday, 30 October 2024, having been convicted by Justice A. T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following his arraignment by the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on seven-count charges bordering on obtaining money under false pretence and impersonation.
According to one of the counts, Ekanem had obtained the obtain the sum of Twenty Two United states of America dollars ($22) from one Diana Roskov by fraudulently representing himself as Coran Capsha, manager of the singer, Chris Stapleton, in contravention Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud- Related Offences Act 2006.
Ekanem pleaded guilty when the charges were read to him, following which, prosecution counsel, A. Abubakar called witnesses, tendered some documents as evidence which were admitted by the court and marked as exhibits. He thereafter prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
Counsel to the defendant, F. T. Fred-Boufini did not oppose the prayers by the prosecution, but rather prayed the court to temper justice with mercy stressing that the defendant was a first time offender with no previous criminal records.
Justice Mohammed convicted and sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment on each of the seven -count or an option of fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000) payable into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The judge also ordered that all the phones recovered from the convict be forfeited to the government, being proceeds of crime. The convict shall also depose an affidavit of good behaviour before the court.
