Kemisola Oye
AFTER six months in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service, respite Thursday came the way of four bloggers accused of cyberstalking GTCO, the CEO and its management as the bank withdrew the criminal charge filed against them by the Police after reaching terms of settlement with them.
The trial court consequently struck out the charge.
The four bloggers, Precious Eze, male (38); Olawale Rotimi, male (47); Rowland Olonishuwa and Seun Odunlami, were charged before the court under the Cybercrimes Prohibition Prevention Act, by operatives of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi-Lagos.
They were specifically charged before Justice Ayokunle Faji of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for spreading false information about Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc and Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Segun Agbaje.
When the matter came up on Thursday for trial, the prosecuting counsel, Chief Ajibola Aribisala (SAN) told Justice Ayokunle Faji that the prosecution and the nominal complainants GTCO have finally succumbed to the defendants’ plea to have another look at the matter with another perspective.
Aribisala (SAN) said the defendants have surrendered and agreed to ameliorate the wrongs that led to this prosecution.
He added that the Guild of Editors has intervened and the bank (GTCO) is amenable to having the matter amicably settled under the terms agreed.
The prosecutor added that each of the defendants willingly agreed and appended their signatures on the document containing the terms of settlement.
“The defendants have promised to restitute and to further take out publications to right the wrong, there is no gain saying they are remorseful and have agreed not to use their blogs for publishing wrong, malicious or wrong information.”
Ajibola (SAN) added that under the terms of settlement, the bloggers have agreed to tender unreserved apologies in three National newspapers.
“We appeal that the court approves the document containing the terms as agreed in the deed of settlement so that they can go back to their families after spending six months in the custody of the Nigeria Correction Services,” he said.
Counsel to the defendants, A O Afolabi, in his submission, said he was not objecting to the withdrawal of the charge, adding that he and the defendants appended their signatures on the document.
Justice Faji, after listening to the parties, ruled that the parties shall comply with the terms of the agreement as contained in the deed of settlement. He then struck out the charge.
It would be recalled that the Police had in the amended charge dated 26 September 2024, alleged, among others, that the four defendants, sometime in August 2024 in Lagos, conspired amongst themselves to commit a felony to wit: Cyberstalking and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended in 2024.
The defendants were also alleged to have knowingly sent false messages or publications in social media, through a computer or network to the general public as follows “EFCC, FIRS Storms GTBank Over Segun Agbaje’s N1 trillion Scam” and “Whistleblowers Expose Segun Agbaje Nepotism, Power Play, Enrich Him and Sister, Kofo Dosekunni”, among other publications to insult the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr Segun Agbaje or to cause criminal intimidation, annoyance, III-will, needless anxiety, injury or hatred to him and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition/prevention, etc) Act. 2015, as amended in 2024.
Eighteen-Eleven Media