A final-year student at the University of Port Harcourt, Henry Nathaniel Ekanem, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted of internet fraud. Justice A. T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt handed down the sentence on Wednesday, October 30, following Ekanem’s arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ekanem faced seven counts of obtaining money under false pretenses and impersonation. According to one of the charges, he fraudulently obtained $22 from an individual named Diana Roskov by impersonating Coran Capsha, the manager of singer Chris Stapleton, in September 2024.
Upon hearing the charges, Ekanem pleaded guilty. The prosecution, led by counsel A. Abubakar, presented evidence and witnesses, urging the court to impose a conviction. Defense counsel F. T. Fred-Boufini requested leniency, noting that Ekanem was a first-time offender with no prior criminal record.
Justice Mohammed sentenced Ekanem to two years for each of the seven counts, totaling 14 years, with an option of a N200,000 fine per count, payable to Nigeria’s Consolidated Revenue Account. Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of all phones seized from Ekanem, deeming them proceeds of the crime.
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