Court Orders Detention of Lawyer, Four Others Over Alleged Cyber Bullying of Senator Shehu Umar
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered lawyer Ahmed Abdulrahman and four others remanded for allegedly cyber bullying Senator Shehu Umar.
Justice Rita Ajumogobia directed they remain in FCID custody until November 10.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that a legal practitioner, Ahmed Abdulrahman, and four others be remanded at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Area 10, until November 10 over alleged cyber bullying of Senator Shehu Baba Umar.
Justice Rita Offili Ajumogobia gave the order on Thursday following their arraignment by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on an 11-count charge bordering on cyber bullying, advance fee fraud, and extortion.
The other defendants are Daure David, Ishaq Abubakar Muhammed, Abdulrashid Abdullahi Musa, and Nasiru Usman Abubakar. They were accused of blackmailing Senator Umar, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence.
All five defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when read in court. Prosecuting counsel, Victor Okoye, asked the court to set a date for trial and remand the accused at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Defence counsel, Affis Matanmi, who represented Abdulrahman, urged the court to grant his client bail, noting that the lawyer is a member of the Supreme Court Bar and had previously complied with police administrative bail conditions.
However, Okoye opposed the application, alleging that Abdulrahman was involved in two additional cyber bullying incidents after being released on bail and featured in five of the eleven charges.
After hearing both sides, Justice Ajumogobia ruled that the defendants remain in custody at the FCID until November 10 to allow the defence to file further affidavits and replies to the prosecution’s counter affidavit.
