By Nafisat Abdulrahman
The Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced an online fraudster, Courage Ipaka for impersonating Nigerian musician, Chinedu Okoli popularly known as Flavour N’abania to dupe a United States citizen.
Ipaka was sentenced to two years imprisonment for duping Mrs. Yvelte M. Thompson $53,000 with Flavour’s identity. Justice Dehinde Dipeolu convicted Ipaka on Tuesday following his guilty plea to a two-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Prosecution counsel, Suleiman Suleiman, led EFCC investigator Azibagiri Dan Ekpar in evidence against the defendant.
The witness told the court that Ipaka impersonated Flavour by pledging to organise shows in the United States and receiving payment through his Bitcoin wallets. Ekpar explained that the EFCC got wind of the fraud following a petition written by one Eyitayo Tolulope Abiodun and others on behalf of the victim.
Following the defendant’s guilty plea and upon reviewing the prosecution’s evidence against him, Justice Dipeolu sentenced Ipaka to two years imprisonment but with an option of a fine of N2 million. The judge also ruled that the sum of N7.9m recovered from the convict be forfeited to Mrs. Thompson.
