On Monday, the Nigeria Police re-arraigned four bloggers—Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami—before the Federal High Court in Lagos on new charges of cyberstalking and publishing false allegations against Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO). The defendants now face 10 counts, including conspiracy, cyberstalking, false and misleading publication, extortion, threat, and loss of shares and market value.
Initially arraigned on September 27, 2024, on two counts of cyberstalking and false publications aimed at insulting GTCO’s CEO, Segun Agbaje, the bloggers were remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre by Justice Ayokunle Faji. However, the case took a turn on Monday when police prosecutor Ajibola Aribisala (SAN), supported by Olaotan Ajose-Adeogun (SAN), informed the court of amended charges.
Aribisala, armed with a fiat from the Inspector General of Police, urged the court to read the fresh charges to the defendants. He alleged that the bloggers conspired to cyberstalk and publish false, misleading, and unsubstantiated allegations against GTCO, its management, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the entire banking system in Nigeria, intending to cause a breakdown of law and order.
The prosecutor claimed that the false publications were aimed at harming the reputation of GTCO and extorting the company. He further alleged that the bloggers intended to defraud by affecting the market value of GTCO’s shares through their false allegations.
The offences, according to Aribisala, contravene sections of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, and the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The defendants pleaded not guilty and were ordered to remain in custody pending their bail applications.
Defence counsel Olakunle Afolabi initially objected to the charges, requesting time to review the amended counts. He also sought to apply for bail orally, but Justice Faji declined, directing the prosecution to file proof of evidence by the next adjourned date, October 24, 2024.
