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By Lizzy Chirkpi
Justice M.J. Zubairu of the Kaduna State High Court has sentenced an internet fraudster, Muhammad Kabiru, to two years in prison for impersonating American actress, Jennifer Aniston in an online romance scam.
The conviction followed Kabiru’s arraignment by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a one-count charge bordering on criminal impersonation.
The charge sheet read, “That you Muhammad Kabiru, (a.k.a Jennifer Aniston) sometime in July, 2025, in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an offence to wit: falsely presented yourself as Jennifer Aniston (a citizen of United States of America) to several unsuspecting victims via ‘Telegram’ chat (an online social media application) in a bid to lure them into love scam, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.”
Kabiru pleaded guilty to the charge.
Following his plea, prosecution counsel M.U. Gadaka urged the court to convict and sentence him in accordance with the law.
Justice Zubairu subsequently sentenced Kabiru to two years in prison with an option of a ₦200,000 fine. The court also ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone 14 Pro to the Federal Government.
The convict was among suspects arrested by EFCC operatives along Governor Road in Kaduna metropolis, after intelligence reports linked them to a syndicate involved in internet fraud.