Court sentences undergraduate to 14 years in prison for Internet fraud

A Federal High Court sitting in Portharcourt, Rivers State has sentenced one Henry Nathaniel Ekanem to fourteen, 14, years imprisonment for Internet fraud.

Ekanem, a final year student of the University of Portharcourt was convicted by Justice A. T. Mohammed upon arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on seven-count charges bordering on obtaining money under false pretence and impersonation

The EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale in a statement on Wednesday said the convict successfully defrauded one Diana Roskov in a tune of $22 among others, by fraudulently representing himself as Coran Capsha, manager of the singer, Chris Stapleton through WhatsApp and Instagram chats.

He said Ekanem pleaded guilty when the charges were read to him.

His Counsel F. T. Fred-Boufini prayed the court to temper justice with mercy stressing that the defendant was a first time offender with no previous criminal records.

However, 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, said the EDCC spokesperson, Oyewole.

He said the judge also ordered that all the phones recovered from the convict be forfeited to the government, being proceeds of crime.

He was also directed to depose an affidavit of good behaviour before the court.