A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has sentenced one Henry Nathaniel Ekanem, a final-year student at the University of Port Harcourt, to 14 years in prison for internet fraud.
Justice A.T. Mohammed handed down the sentence on Wednesday after Ekanem pleaded guilty to seven charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ekanem was charged with obtaining money under false pretenses and impersonation, following his arrest in September 2024 in Choba, Port Harcourt. According to court documents, Ekanem defrauded several victims, including an individual named Diana Roskov, from whom he obtained $22. He had posed as Coran Capsha, a supposed manager for the American singer Chris Stapleton, to deceive Roskov via social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram.
During the hearing, prosecution counsel A. Abubakar presented evidence, including testimonies and documents, which the court accepted as exhibits. Abubakar urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant, emphasizing the need for deterrence.
Read Also: 30 years old man nab for allegedly assaulting two minors in Adamawa
While Ekanem’s counsel, F.T. Fred-Boufini, did not contest the charges, she appealed to the court for leniency, noting that her client was a first-time offender with no prior criminal record.
Justice Mohammed subsequently sentenced Ekanem to two years for each of the seven counts, totaling 14 years, with an option to pay a fine of N200,000 per count, to be deposited in the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government. The court also ordered the forfeiture of all phones seized from Ekanem, deeming them proceeds of crime, and mandated him to file an affidavit of good behavior.
Ekanem’s sentencing underscores the EFCC’s continued efforts to combat internet fraud, a crime that has seen a surge in recent years, especially among young Nigerians.
