A Nigerian man has been extradited to the US to face prosecution over alleged sextortion of a minor, which led to the victim’s death.
Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal, 24, from Nigeria’s Osun state was flown to the US on Saturday after an agreement was reportedly reached with the Nigerian government that he would not be sentenced to death if found guilty.
Lawal appeared in a federal court in Columbia, South Carolina,
on Monday wearing
an orange prison jumpsuit, with shackles on his wrists and ankles, US media reported.
He entered a not guilty plea to charges including child exploitation resulting in death and the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
The investigation which led to the Nigerian’s extradition was launched after Gavin Guffey, a 17-year-old took his own life after he was allegedly victimized by Mr Lawa
The accused allegedly posed as a young woman on social media and coerced the teen into sending compromising photos.
He then extorted and sent harassing messages to the victim threatening to leak the photos and ruin his reputation unless he sent him money. Mr Lawal was said to have later done the same thina to members of the victim’s family.
Sources: Ghanaweb.com
