Four bloggers were granted pardon today after the Federal High Court of Lagos received a notice of pardon by Guaranty Trust Holding Company and its leaders. They had been charged with cyber-stalking GTCO and the management of the company. The Bank retracted the criminal charges filed against the accused, which was brought forth by the Police, following a settlement reached with the Bank.
The trial court, presided over by Justice Ayokunle Faji, struck the charges out after the prosecutor, Chief Ajibola Arbisala SAN, announced his pardon in court and expressed a desire to withdraw the charge.
Four bloggers, Precious, male (38), Olawale Rotimi, male (47) Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun, Odunlami were brought before the Ikoyi Lagos Police Special Fraud Unit under the Cybercrimes Prevention and Prohibition Act.
The Federal High Court in Lagos specifically accused them of spreading false news about GTCO Plc, its group chief executive officer, Mr. Segun Agabaje.
The prosecution, led by Chief Aribisala SAN, informed the court today that they and GTCO, nominally the complainants, have now finally listened to the plea of the defendants to take a second look at this matter from a different perspective.
Aribisala SAN said that the defendants had surrendered, and they agreed to rectify the injustices which led to the prosecution.
The Guild of Editors has also intervened in their behalf, and GTCO is willing to settle the issue amicably under the agreed terms.
Prosecutor said that all defendants had signed the settlement document and agreed to the terms.
The defendants promised to restitution and further publish publications in order to correct the mistake. There is no benefit to saying that they were remorseful, and agreed to not use their blog for publishing incorrect, malicious, or wrong information.
Ajibola.SAN added that, under the terms and conditions of the settlement, bloggers agreed to issue unreserved apologies within three National Newspapers.
He said: “We request that the court accept the settlement agreement document that contains the agreed terms so they can return to their families, after six months of being in custody by the Nigeria Correction Services.”
In his statement, A O Afolabi’s counsel said that the charges were withdrawn and that both he as well as the defendants had signed the document.
After hearing the parties, Justice Faji ruled that the parties must comply with the terms contained in the settlement deed.
The charge was then removed.
In an amended charge of September 26 2024 the Police stated that among others, the four defendants conspired to commit CyberStalking in Lagos in some cases in August 2024. They were subsequently found guilty under Section 27 of the Cybercrimes Act 2015.
The defendants were also said to have knowingly sent false massages or publications in the social media, through a computer or network to the general public as follows “EFCC, FRIS storms GTBanks over Segun Agbaje’s N1 trillion scam” and “Whistle Blowers expose Segun Agbaje Nepotism, power play , enrich him and sister, Kofo Dosekunni” among other publications , for the purpose of insulting the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr Segun Agbaje or for the purpose of causing 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. The 2015 version, with amendments in 2024.
