Court sentences undergraduate to 14 years in prison for Internet fraud

A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has sentenced Henry Nathaniel Ekanem to 14 years in prison for Internet fraud. Ekanem, a final-year student at the University of Port Harcourt, was found guilty by Justice A. T. Mohammed after being charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on seven counts related to obtaining money through deceit and impersonation.

According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, Ekanem defrauded Diana Roskov of $22 by posing as Coran Capsha, the manager of singer Chris Stapleton, via WhatsApp and Instagram. Ekanem admitted guilt during the proceedings.

His attorney, F. T. Fred-Boufini, requested leniency, emphasizing that this was Ekanem’s first offense with no prior criminal history. Despite this, Justice Mohammed sentenced him to two years for each of the seven counts or an alternative fine of 200,000 Naira, payable to the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Account. The judge also ordered the confiscation of all phones seized from Ekanem as they were deemed proceeds of crime and instructed him to submit an affidavit of good behavior.