Justice Babs Kuewumi handed down the sentence following the defendant's guilty plea to the three-count charge.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced Innocent Eneji, an ex-contract staff of Fidelity Bank PLC, to three years in prison for sending a text message threatening the Nnamdi Okonkwo, Managing Director of Fidelity Bank PLC, and Chijioke Ugochukwu, a female Executive Director with the bank.
Justice Babs Kuewumi handed down the sentence following the defendant's guilty plea to the three-count charge.
When the matter came up for arraignment on Friday, counsel to the prosecution, Mrs Kehinde Bode-Ayeni, pleaded with the court that the charge be read to the defendant so that he can take his plea.
Following Bode-Ayeni's application, Justice Kuewumi ordered that the charge be read to the defendant, who consequently pleaded guilty to the charges. Upon the guilty plea of the defendant, the prosecutor made an oral application for the review of the facts of the case against Eneji.
While reviewing the case, the prosecuting counsel tendered the statements of the convicts dated July 10, 2017, and July 26, 2017, the statement of Nnamdi Okonkwo dated July 20, 2017 and that of Chijioke Ugochukwu, an Executive Director, Share Services and Product, Fidelity Bank PLC dated August 1, 2017. The prosecutor also tendered the message SIM card sent to the complainants, the call log from Glo line and the registered SIM card of Mrs Regina Odu, which were all admitted in evidence by Justice Kuewumi.
After reviewing the facts of the case, the prosecutor urged the court to convict the defendant based on his guilty plea, the exhibits tendered, as well as the totality of the prosecution evidence against the defendant.
Giving the ruling, the judge said: "Having read the charge before me to the defendant, I am satisfied that the defendant understands the charge, I uphold the plea of the defendant and he is hereby convicted”.
Following his conviction, the defendant’s lawyer, Adebayo Onifade, pleaded for leniency, stating that the convict had realised the gravity of his offence and is remorseful. Onifade added that the convict has three children and a wife, who solely depends on him. According to Onifade, the convict had written several letters of apology to the complainants before and is ready to write a letter of undertaking that he would never come near the complainants to harm them.
While sentencing the convict, the judge said the offence ruled that the sentence will run concurrently.
The charge marked FHC/L/341C/18 dated October 9, 2018 and filed by Kehinde Bode-Ayeni read: “That You, Innocent Eneji 'M’ on the 25th day of June, 2017 at about 21:17 PM at Lagos Island, Lagos within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Count of Nigeria, Lagos, did knowingly and intentionally transmit or caused the transmission of a text message containing threat to life through a Glo Mobile Phone Number, 08154154470 registered by your wife to Nnamdi Okonkwo ’m’, the Managing Director, Share Services and Product, Fidelity Bank Plc on his own phone number, 08033218696, over your grievances on staff issues within Fidelity Bank Plc, to threaten or harass Nnamdi Okonkwo and his family. Such threat places him in fear of death, violence or bodily harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (2) of the 5 Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 24 (2) (i) of the same Act.
“Count Two : That you, Innocent Eneji ’m’ on the 25th day of June, 2017 at about 2121 pm at Lagos Island, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Lagos, did knowingly and intentionally transmit or caused the transmission of a text message containing threat to life and family through a Glo mobile phone number, 08154154470, registered by your wife, to Chijioke Ugochukwu, 'f’, the Executive Director, share services and product, Fidelity Bank Plc on his own phone number, 08033061239, over your grievances on staff issues within Fidelity Bank PLC to threaten or harass Chijioke Ugochukwu, and such threat places him and his family members in fear of death, violence or bodily harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (2) (a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act 1 2015 and punishable under Section 24(2) (i) of the same Act.
“COUNT 3: "That you, Innocent Eneji ’m’ on the 25th day of June, 2017 at Lagos Island Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did knowingly or intentionally transmit or caused the transmission of text message containing some threats to Chijioke Ugochukwu and Nnamdi Okonkwo to harm their reputation respectively, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (2) (c) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section ‘4 {2) (i) of the same Act.”