4 bloggers standing trial for alleged blackmailing of Guaranty Trust Holding Firm and its Group Chief Government Officer, Segun Agbaje, have been denied bail as a result of one in every of them, Valuable Eze, was accused of being a serial offender.
Justice Ayokunle Faji of a Federal Excessive Courtroom in Lagos State who denied them bail, ordered an accelerated trial of the 4 bloggers.
Other than Eze, others dragged earlier than Justice Faji by the Particular Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police Drive are Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa and Seun Odunlami.
They’re going through a ten depend amended cost for allegedly publishing false details about GTCO and Agbaje by way of varied social media platforms.
On the resumed listening to of the matter on November 13 and 14, Justice Faji dismissed the bail applica- tions, citing the intense nature of the alleged offences, which embrace prices that would result in as much as 14 years in jail.
The decide additionally held that Eze has proven the tendencies of committing the offence once more if let loose as he’s at present charged with an analogous offence in one other courtroom and was solely out on bail when he went forward to commit the alleged offence for which he’s now standing trial.
Justice Faji additionally highlighted the potential destabilising affect such actions might have on the banking sector, notably since a few of the prices concerned cross-border. actions on the web.
The defence counsel, Afolabi Adeniyi, had on the final listening to of the matter whereas shifting an utility for bail of the accused individuals argued that the defendants needs to be granted bail on liberal phrases, emphasising that the costs had been bailable and that the accused had been prepared to face trial.
Opposing the appliance, the prosecution Counsel, Chief Aribisala (SAN), urged the courtroom to reject the bail request, highlighting the danger of the defendants absconding and stressing the necessity for an expedited trial.
In delivering his ruling, Justice Faji not solely denied bail, but in addition ordered an accelerated trial, underlining the gravity of the costs.
Please comply with and like us:
