Court Orders Accelerated Trial Of Four Bloggers Charged With Alleged Defaming, Cyberstalking GTCO’s CEO

<h4>Court Orders Accelerated Trial Of Four Bloggers<&sol;h4>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">OpenLife Nigeria<&sol;a> <&sol;strong>reports that Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an accelerated trial of the four bloggers charged with defaming and cyberstalking the management of GTCO &lpar;Guaranty Trust Holding Company&rpar;&comma; including its Group CEO&comma; Mr&period; Segun Agbaje&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The four accused—Precious Eze&comma; Olawale Rotimi&comma; Rowland Olonishuwa&comma; and Seun Odunlami—are facing 10 amended charges for allegedly publishing false information about the company through various social media platforms&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>At the resumed hearing of the matter on the 13th and 14th of November&comma; Justice Faji also dismissed the bail applications&comma; citing the serious nature of the alleged offences&comma; which include charges that could lead to up to 14 years in prison&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The judge also held that one of the defendants – Precious Eze has shown the tendency to commit a similar offence again if let out as he is currently charged with a similar offence in another court and was only on bail when he went ahead to commit the alleged offence for which he is now standing trial&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Justice Faaji also highlighted the potentially destabilizing impact such actions could have on the banking sector&comma; particularly since some of the charges involve cross-border activities on the Internet&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The defense counsel&comma; Afolabi Adeniyi&comma; had at the last hearing of the matter while moving an application for bail for the accused persons argued that the defendants should be granted bail on liberal terms&comma; emphasizing that the charges were bailable and that the accused were willing to face trial&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Opposing the application&comma; the prosecution Counsel&comma; Chief Aribisala&comma; SAN&comma; urged the court to reject the bail request&comma; highlighting the risk of the defendants absconding and stressing the need for an expedited trial&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In delivering his ruling&comma; Justice Faji not only denied bail but also ordered an accelerated trial&comma; underlining the gravity of the charges&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>He also noted that the defendants’ actions challenged the authority of regulatory bodies&comma; including the Central Bank of Nigeria &lpar;CBN&rpar;&comma; which had approved GTCO&&num;8217&semi;s audited statements&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The matter has been adjourned until the 10th and 12th of December for continuation of the trial&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;