An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Azbagiri Dan Ekper, today, narrated before a Lagos Federal High Court, how an internet fraudster, Ikpaka Courage, kept the sum of $53, 000, USD, in his account number 0108866415, domiciled in Access Bank Plc.
The investigator further told the court how the internet fraudster popularly called Yahoo Boy, stoled the identity of a Nigeria musician, Chinedu Okoli, also known as Flavour N’abania, to defraud an America woman, named Mrs Yvette M. Thompson of the sum of $53, 000, USD, under the false pretence.
The investigator made the above revelation while reviewing the facts of a two count charge of impersonation and retaining illicit funds, made against the 24 years old Internet fraudster.
Prior to the investigator’s testimony, the prosecutor, Mr. Suleiman I Suleiman, had told the court that the Internet fraudster had sometimes in April 2021, made a false statement wherein he calmed to be a Nigerian Entertainer by name “Chinedu Okoli a.k.a. Flavour N’abania” on his Telegram Account.
Suleiman also told the court that the ‘yahoo boy’ used the name Chinedu Okoli a.k.a. Flavour N’abania” to procure some issuance of financial instrument, from Access Bank Plc.
The prosecutor further informed the court that the fraudster used the musician’s name to the America woman, Mrs Yvette M. Thompson of the sum of $53, 000, USD, which was warehoused in his Access Bank account.
He told the court that the illegal of the the fraudster, contravened sections Section 22(3) of ihe Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015. And Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under section 18 (3) of the of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
However, the defendant admitted committing the illegal acts but hinged his actions on his zeal for education.
Based on his plea of guilty and the testimony given by the investigator and all exhibits tendered, the prosecutor urged the court to convict him as charged.
But the convict through his lawyer, asked the court for leniency, saying that he was a first time offender who was pushed to the crime in order to liberate him self from not being uneducated.
The lawyer who told the court that connecting the convict was through devine intervention, further told the court that if his client is a serial fraudster, he wouldn’t have stopped. But he acted to ensure that he is educated.
His lawyer pleaded with the court to give his client an option of fine in lieu of Jail-term
Justice Deinde Dipeolu, in his judgment after listening to the convict’s lawyer and confirmed that the convict never involve in another fraudulent acts apart from the one he did in 2021, sentenced him to a total of two years imprisonment.
The judge however ordered him to pay the sum of N2 million in lieu of the jail-term. Adding that the recovered sum be pay back to the victim of the crime.
Charges against The convicted fraudster reads: “That you, IKPAKA COURAGE sometime in April, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court directly made a false statement wherein you held yourself out as a Nigerian Entertainer by name “Chinedu Okoli a.k.a. Flavour N’abania” on your Telegram Account, knowing same to be false and with intent that the representation is relied upon for the purpose of procuring the issuance of financial instrument to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(3) of ihe Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.
“That you, IKPAKA COURAGE sometime in April, 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court indirectly retained the sum of $53,000 (Fifty Three Thousand USD) in your Access Bank Plc account number 0108866415 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: dishonest Conversion of the said sum, property of Mrs Yvette M. Thompson and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under section 18 (3) of the of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
