Bloggers’ trial in GTCO CEO blackmail case resumes Thursday
The trial of four bloggers—Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami—accused of blackmailing Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) and its CEO, Segun Agbaje, will resume on Thursday. This follows a request on Tuesday from the defense counsel, A. Adeniyi, to call additional witnesses.
The bloggers face 10 amended charges for allegedly spreading false information about GTCO and Agbaje across various social media platforms. They have pleaded not guilty and were denied bail, with Eze being noted as a repeat offender. The case is being heard by Justice Ayokunle Faji, who has ordered an accelerated trial.
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On November 13 and 14, 2024, Justice Faji denied the bloggers’ bail applications, emphasizing the seriousness of the charges, which could carry up to 14 years in prison. Eze’s prior alleged offenses and the potential impact on the banking sector were also considered in the bail ruling.
During Tuesday’s hearing, police witness M. Yakubu was cross-examined by the defense. Adeniyi raised questions regarding international laws, the importance of statement columns, and the absence of legal representation during the defendants’ statements. Yakubu confirmed that the statements were recorded individually, each taking about an hour, without the presence of the defendants’ lawyers, as per their agreement.
The defense also inquired about the police station’s interrogation facilities, including the number of rooms available, with Yakubu confirming only one room was used for the statements.
The defense requested more witnesses for cross-examination, while the prosecution opposed the application, urging the defense to provide a witness list in advance.
Justice Faji ruled that the defense must submit the list of additional witnesses by Thursday, December 12, 2024.
Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at NeptunePrime.
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