GTCO, CEO’s blackmail: Court fixes January for bloggers’ trial

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State has fixed January 13 and 14, 2025, for the trial of four bloggers charged with alleged blackmailing of the Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) and its Group Chief Executive Officer, Segun Agbaje.

The court announced this on Thursday, December 12.

The bloggers, who were dragged before Justice Ayokunle Faji by the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, included Precious Eze, Olawale Rotimi, Rowland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami.

They are facing a 10-count amended charges for allegedly publishing false information about GTCO and Agbaje through various social media platforms.

They had pleaded not guilty to the charges and were denied bail because Eze was accused of being a serial offender.

However, Justice Faji ordered an accelerated trial of the four bloggers.

4 bloggers remanded for blackmailing GTCO, CEO

At the resumed hearing of the matter on November 13 and 14, 2024, Justice Faji dismissed their bail applications, citing the serious nature of the alleged offences, which included charges that could lead to up to 14 years in prison.

The judge also held that Eze has shown the tendency to commit the offence again if let out as he is currently charged with a similar offence in another court and was only out on bail when he went ahead to commit the alleged offence for which he is now standing trial.

He also highlighted the potentially destabilising impact such actions could have on the banking sector, particularly since some of the charges involved cross-border activities on the internet.

Justice Faji added that the defendants’ actions challenged the authority of regulatory bodies, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, which had approved GTCO’s audited statements.

The Star