Justice U.P. Kekemeke delivered the judgment on Thursday, October 29, 2026, following prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court sentenced Kingsley to seven years’ imprisonment on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
He was also ordered to refund the entire $205,238 to the victim, with no option of a fine.
During the proceedings, Sayers, an American lawyer from Oregon, told the court that her relationship with Kingsley began after he contacted her on Facebook on her birthday.
According to her testimony, Kingsley introduced himself as a member of the same spiritual organisation to which she belonged.
“I know the defendant. The defendant messaged me on Facebook on my birthday and he said he was a member of the same spiritual organisation as me,” she told the court.
She explained that their conversations gradually developed into a romantic relationship, which made her trust him.
Sayers told the court that Kingsley later claimed he needed money to facilitate a government contract. He allegedly told her that some individuals were threatening his life because he had failed to raise the funds required for the deal.
She said she initially transferred $15,000 to him after he promised to repay the money within 45 days.
The American woman subsequently travelled to Abuja in March 2022, where she stayed with Kingsley for approximately two weeks.
However, according to her testimony, his requests for financial assistance continued.
She alleged that Kingsley repeatedly asked her for money to cover expenses connected with the purported government contract, medical emergencies, surgeries, malaria treatment and other needs.
Sayers told the court that she eventually made more than 125 financial transactions, transferring over $200,000 within approximately one year.
The victim further testified that Kingsley later claimed a $10,000 transfer intended for her had been intercepted by a bank because it was allegedly connected to government funds.
She said he subsequently requested additional money to facilitate his bail and settle alleged bribes.
The prosecution presented the case as one involving obtaining money through false pretences, while Sayers’ testimony detailed how the relationship and repeated financial requests resulted in her losing more than $205,000.
After considering the case, Justice Kekemeke convicted Kingsley and imposed concurrent seven-year prison sentences.
The court also ordered him to repay the full $205,238 obtained from Sayers, ruling out the option of paying a fine in place of imprisonment.
The judgment followed the EFCC’s prosecution of the defendant over the financial transactions arising from the Facebook relationship.
The case highlights how online relationships can be exploited to obtain money through false representations and emotional manipulation, leaving victims with substantial financial losses.
