Mr. Yaqob Sule, a witness in the ongoing trial of four bloggers charged with defamation and cyberstalking against Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) as well as its chief executive, has described one of the bloggers, Precious Eze, as a ‘serial blackmailer’.
Sule, an Investigating Police Officer, IPO, and first prosecution witness, disclosed this while testifying before Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Chief Ajibola Aribisala, SAN, Sule told Justice Ayokunle Faji that during the investigation, it was discovered that the first defendant, Eze, had been arraigned before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate Court, Lagos, in 2024 and was admitted to bail on May 31.
These facts were made known at the resumption of the trial after the four bloggers—Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami—were re-arraigned on a fresh 10-count amended charge for alleged cyberstalking and publishing false allegations on various social media platforms against GTCO, its management, and Group CEO, Mr. Segun Agbaje.
The prosecutor led Yaqob Sule in evidence, telling the court that on September 19, 2024, the Commissioner of Police, SFU, Ikoyi, minuted a petition from GTCO’s legal consultant to his team and received instructions to oversee the petition as the Investigation Police Officer.
Sule stated that the core of the petition involved libellous publications, a breach of peace, and an attempt to extort, all of which were connected to these publications.
He added that as an IPO he tried to open the links and saw the publications against GTCO, GTBank, the CEO, management, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, among others.
He added that after the arrest of the four defendants, their statements were taken. They admitted to publishing the articles but confessed that they did not confirm the story’s authenticity before posting it on their blogs.
Sule added that the defendants also denied asking for money before they could take down the story.
While investigating, we discovered that the 4th defendant had registered two platforms, Newsjaunts.com and Thevision.com, and that it was through the Thevision.com platform that the 4th defendant used to negotiate for funds with the GTCO legal consultant before he would pull the story down.
The witness said that during the investigation, they profiled the defendants and took their fingerprints for forensic analysis and found out that the first defendant had earlier been arraigned for a similar offense at Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrate Court, Lagos, early in May this year and was granted bail on May 31, 2024, before committing this offense again.
However, the defendants’ counsel rejected the prosecution’s attempt to present the statements the defendants made to the police, arguing that the statements were not voluntary.
Following the objection, the trial judge ordered a trial within the case and adjourned the matter until tomorrow.
Recall that the Body of Bank CEOs recently released a statement expressing concern over the ongoing and unjustified attacks on social media targeting Nigerian banks. It noted that the Nigerian banking industry is the most regulated sector in the country. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the country’s apex bank, and several other direct and indirect regulators subject banks to stringent regulations as financial services companies. A large number of banks are publicly quoted, and they subject themselves to global scrutiny by domestic and international regulators and investors.
The banking sector plays a pivotal role in the economic development of Nigeria, significantly contributing to both the individual and growth of businesses of all sizes, as well as the overall growth of society.
Without gainsaying, the development of the economy rests significantly on the banking sector and its intermediation roles. If any individual or group has grievances or concerns regarding the operations of any bank, we strongly encourage that such complaints be directed to the appropriate regulatory authorities.
It went further to say that resorting to social media attacks, blackmail, or smear campaigns against banks and the banking sector not only undermines the hard-earned reputation of these institutions but also seeks to unfairly manipulate the targeted banks.
“We strongly urge individuals engaging in such activities to desist and consider the facts before making accusations. Regulatory agencies possess the necessary tools to address such concerns impartially, diligently, and professionally, ensuring that all issues follow the correct procedures.
We remain committed to delivering the highest standard of banking services, and we will continue to operate with the utmost professionalism, guided by the rules and regulations that govern our industry.
Together, let us encourage an environment of trust and collaboration rather than division; citizens should desist from criminalizing a highly professional sector that has brought glory to Nigeria and Africa, as the banking sector works hard individually and collectively to build a stronger and more resilient Nigerian economy that works for everyone.”
