A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, on Tuesday remanded five persons involved in an alleged attempt to extort and defame Prof. Maureen Etebu, a former Vice Chancellor of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, in the Warri South West Local Government Area of the state.
The defendants are Dr Vincent Akpoveta (38), Stanley Erobosa (40), Doboikiabo Warmate (47), Edgar Biu (47) and Ibrahim Abubakar (34).
The accused persons, who were arrested by men of the Zone 5 Police Command, were arraigned on eight counts of criminal conspiracy, extortion and defamation.
According to the police, the defendants in June 2020 sent offensive and obscene e-mails to the former vice chancellor, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 24(a)(b) of the Cyber Crime Prohibition and Revocation Act.
The charges read in part, “That in June 2020, the accused persons sent e-mails to the former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Maureen Etebu, with attempt to extort N150,000,000 from her and another attempt in June 2020, to extort another sum of N200,000,000 from her, punishable by Section 24(2)(a)(b)(6)(1) and (1) of the Cyber crime Prohibition Act, 2015.”
They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The defence counsel, N. Trofaniowei, Ray Enogeh, N. Ohre, H.O. Omyebuolose and P. O. Itsyeli, applied for bail in liberal terms.
However, the police prosecutor, N. A. Ukpebor, while opposing the bail applications, said the accused persons might tamper with the prosecution witnesses.
He noted that the purported medical reports tendered by the 3rd and 4th defendants were fake.
The presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwete, adjourned hearing on bail till Friday.
0 Comments
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the comment writers alone and does not reflect or represent the views of whatsupblog9ja or any of its employees.