Justice Dehinde I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos,on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, convicted and sentenced one Ikpaka Courage to two years imprisonment for presenting himself as Chinedu Okoli, also known as Flavour, a Nigerian singer, to dupe a United States of America citizen, Mrs. Yvelte M. Thompson, of the sum of $53,000.

Courage, a graduate of Philosophy, was arraigned on Tuesday by the Lagos Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a two-count charge bordering on cybercrimes and money laundering.

Count one reads: “That you, Ikpaka Courage, sometime in April, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable 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 the 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 the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.”

Count two reads: “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 Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act,2022.”

He pleaded "guilty" to the charges when they were read to him.

Following his guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, S.I Suleiman, presented a witness, Azibagiri Dan Ekpar, an operative of the EFCC, to review the facts of the case.

The defendant, Ekpar said, was arrested in Lagos on June 10, 2024.

He added: “Upon his arrest by operatives of the Lagos Directorate, he volunteered his statement.

“In his statement, he confessed to have been involved in a dating scam, and that he used his platform to impersonate Chinedu Okoli a.k.a. Flavour N'abania.

“He also confessed to having obtained the sum of $53,000( Fifty-three Thousand United States Dollar) from one Mrs. Yvette M. Thompson under the pretence that he would perform on her birthday in Washington DC in July 2021.

“The money was transferred through a Bitcoin wallet he created in order to receive the proceeds of crime.”

In his further review of the facts, Ekpar said: “He also admitted to have forged the Nigerian international passport data page of

Mr Chinedu Okoli a.k.a. Flavour N'abania and also created a fictitious email address, which he used to communicate with the victim.

“He had restituted the sum of N7, 900,000 (Seven Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira) by raising a managers’ Cheque.”

Suleiman, thereafter, applied to tender, in evidence, the defendant’s extra-judicial statement, and bank’s statement, printout of chats between him and the victim as well as the Bitcoin wallet statement from Binance.

Justice Dipeolu admitted them as exhibits.

Counsel to the convict, Bayo A. Phillip, prayed the court to “temper justice with mercy”, adding that “he is a first-time offender and he did not waste the time of the court.

“My Lord, he did not channel the proceeds of his offence into living lavishly; rather, he used it to further his education and is now a graduate of Philosophy.”

Consequently, Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment on count one, with an option of fine of N1,000,000 ( One Million Naira).

He was also convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment on count two, with an option of fine of N1,000,000( One Million Naira).

The Judge ordered that the money be forfeited to the petitioner and also remanded the convict in the EFCC custody pending the fulfillment of the order within 21 days.

Courage's journey to the Correctional Centre began when he was arrested by operatives of the Lagos Directorate of the EFCC for internet fraud. He was charged to court and convicted.

Source: https://www.efcc.gov.ng/efcc/news-and-information/news-release/10355-53-000-scam-court-jails-graduate-two-years-for-impersonating-singer-flavour

Ikpaka wan resemble Flavour.

He used the money to graduate?? Lol

Philosophical crime, philosophical criminal
Na wetin dem teach you for Philosophy class be this

Do the crime and do the time.

Jokes, fraudster that defrauded someone hundreds of Millions given 1yr imprisonment or 1million naira option of fine

Ijele is a big name

Let him remain there... the option of fine is fraud encouragement, a nation that's deep in criminals and fraud activities.. .. you will be surprised the judge is part of the crime system...
Nigeria: Good Land terrible people

Sssw

Flavour dey collect money o...... Ordinary to sing and shake his waist, ladies are willing to waste $53,000....... 😂🤣

Omo see soft work. You thief 53million and pay 2 million naira back...

Ok

Hmmmm ..... he stole N795 million ... repaid N7.5 million.... given the option of 2 years imprisonment or N2 million fine. Justice indeed. Why will he not immediately go back to scamming? .... it's a win win with this kind of justice.

Prof niyi osundare was right in his poem "my lord tell me where to keep your bribe"
Crime really pays in this part of the world

janedonez:
Jokes, fraudster that defrauded someone hundreds of Millions given 1yr imprisonment or 1million naira option of fine

Back stage agreement dey ground.

What an audaciously courageous scam move from Courage Ikpapa... Diswan started fraud right from the so-called institution that is supposed to mould his character.

Nothing concern me but E dey mind

For all the celebrities na flavour you go use
If I am the judge of this case I'll make you to whine your waist like flavour for good 6 months nonstop

even the judge go collect him own, the victim should appeal the judgement.

Yahoo man

The court ordered him to return the $53K to the victim, didn't you see that? If he chooses to pay the N1 million fine instead of staying in prison, it is going to be from his pocket and not from the victim's money.

Originalsly:
Hmmmm ..... he stole N795 million ... repaid N7.5 million.... given the option of 2 years imprisonment or N2 million fine. Justice indeed. Why will he not immediately go back to scamming? .... it's a win win with this kind of justice.

Hmmm

Achoghim:


The court ordered him to return the $53K to the victim, didn't you see that? If he chooses to pay the N1 million fine instead of staying in prison, it is going to be from his pocket and not from the victim's money.

No I didn't ... and still don't. Post a screenshot or quote where the judge said or implied that it.

janedonez:
Jokes, fraudster that defrauded someone hundreds of Millions given 1yr imprisonment or 1million naira option of fine

iswr ego pay d money ASAP

Scammers

Celeb format

janedonez:
Jokes, fraudster that defrauded someone hundreds of Millions given 1yr imprisonment or 1million naira option of fine

That's unfortunate our terrible so called justice system, the more you steal the less your are held accountable

Rapmoney:

Source: https://www.efcc.gov.ng/efcc/news-and-information/news-release/10355-53-000-scam-court-jails-graduate-two-years-for-impersonating-singer-flavour

Edo no dey carry last

janedonez:
Jokes, fraudster that defrauded someone hundreds of Millions given 1yr imprisonment or 1million naira option of fine

EFCC would have collected everything of values in his possession, down to his phone and ATM cards.

Ordinary bursting of houses lasan, EFCC dey confiscate anything and everything, this guy man, except he was wise to have diverted the money somewhere, which under severe interrogation he will call names and places where the money were sent to... May not have penny to his names.


Thru his bvn, all his account will be freezes, all substantial transactions made will be traced, and recovered if possible.

buharibanjo:
He used the money to graduate?? Lol

No, he will buy an expensive car to intimidate his lectures