A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday convicted and sentenced one Ekhator Prince , a.k.a Maxwell, to six months imprisonment on a two-count charge, bordering on cybercrimes and impersonation.
Prince, who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, trying to swindle an American woman, online of $500.000 was arraigned before Justice Okon Abang on September 9, 2019.
One of the charges against him read: “That you Ekhator Prince (a.k.a Maxwell) Sometime in 2019 at Abuja FCT within the Jurisdiction of this honorable court, did fraudulently impersonate a United States citizen named Maxwell on Hangout social media application account, with the intent to obtain the sum of 500,000 USD (Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) from one Katie Henderson of United States of America, through the Western Union account of one Paul, and there by committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2) (b) (iv) of the same Act”.
He pleaded guilty to the charge.
READ ALSO: EFCC Makurdi Zonal Office Arraigns man for Unauthorized ATM Cash Withdrawal
Prosecution counsel, Maryam Hayatudden, told the court that the defendant on October 18 2019, filed a plea bargain agreement which was signed by both parties and urged the court to adopt the agreement and convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
In his ruling, Justice Abang, noted that plea bargain was in line with the provision of Section 22 (2)(b) and (22) (iv) of the Cyber-Crime Prohibition Prevention Act 2015.”
He therefore convicted and sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment with effect from the day of conviction.
He also gave Ekhator the option to pay a fine of N300, 000, which must be paid to the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the EFCC.
