The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of Henry Nathaniel Ekanem, a final-year student at the University of Port Harcourt, for internet fraud. Ekanem was sentenced to 14 years in prison by Justice A.T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to a statement on the EFCC’s X.com page, Ekanem was convicted on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, after being arraigned by the EFCC’s Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate on seven charges related to obtaining money by false pretence and impersonation.
The EFCC revealed that Ekanem defrauded victims, including Diana Roskov, by impersonating Coran Capshaw, the manager of singer Chris Stapleton, through WhatsApp and Instagram. One charge detailed that Ekanem, “on or about 17th September 2024, at Choba in Port Harcourt, Rivers State…did obtain the sum of Twenty-Two United States of America dollars ($22) from Diana Roskov by falsely representing yourself as Coran Capshaw…and thereby committed an offence contrary to 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 to the charges, prompting prosecution counsel A. Abubakar to present evidence, which was accepted by the court. The prosecution then urged the court to convict and sentence him.
The defense counsel, F.T. Fred-Boufini, requested leniency, noting Ekanem’s status as a first-time offender. Justice Mohammed sentenced Ekanem to two years for each of the seven counts, with an option of a N200,000 fine per count payable to the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Account. The court also ordered the forfeiture of Ekanem’s mobile phones, which were classified as proceeds of crime, and required him to file an affidavit of good behaviour.
Ekanem’s arrest by EFCC operatives in September 2024 at Choba, Port Harcourt, marked the beginning of his legal ordeal. He is now in custody, set to serve his sentence or pay the fines as directed by the court.
