By Iris Okubonanabo

A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, yesterday, sentenced one Courage Ipaka to two years imprisonment for duping a United States citizen, Mrs. Yvelte Thompson, of $53,000 by impersonating Nigerian musician, Chinedu Okoli, popularly known as Flavour N’abania.

Justice Dehinde Dipeolu convicted Ipaka following his plea of guilty to a two-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Earlier, prosecution counsel, Suleiman Suleiman led EFCC investigator Azibagiri Ekpar in evidence against the defendant.

The witness told the court that Ipaka impersonated Flavour by pledging to organise shows in the United States of America and receiving payment through his Bitcoin wallets.

Ekpar explained that the EFCC got wind of the fraud, following a petition by one Eyitayo Abiodun and others on behalf of the victim.

He said: “We invited Flavour, who honoured the invitation and claimed innocence of the allegations. Upon investigation, we discovered that one Ipaka Courage, who lives in Benin City, Edo State, was the perpetrator.

“We invited the defendant, and he admitted in his statement that he impersonated Flavour by obtaining the sum of $53,000 from a woman, who is a United States citizen in 2021.”

“He wired the funds through Bitcoin wallets and converted them in his Access Bank account where he received the value in Naira.

“The sum of N7.9million was recovered from the defendant through Zenith and Access Bank manager’s cheques.”

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 forfeited the sum of N7.9million to Mrs Thompson.