Man Bags Three Years Imprisonment For Sending Threat Messages To Fidelity Bank MD, ED

 A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday sentenced an ex-contract staff with Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr  Innocent Eneji to three years imprisonment for sending a text message threatening the life of the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank PLC, Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo  and a female Executive Director with the bank, Chijioke Ugochukwu. 

Justice Babs Kuewumi handed down the sentence following the defendant’s  plea of guilty to the three counts charge. 

When the matter came up for arraignment on Friday, counsel to the prosecution, Mrs Kehinde Bode-Ayeni told the court that the prosecution had a three count charge against the defendant (Innocent Eneji) and pleaded with the court that the charge be read to the defendant so that he could 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 three counts. 

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, Bode Ayeni tendered the statements of the convicts dated July 10, 2017 and July 26, 2017.

The statement of Nnamdi Okonkwo was dated July 20, 2017 and that of Chijioke Ugochukwu, an Executive Director, Share Services and Product, Fidelity Bank PLC was dated August 1, 2017.

The prosecutor also tendered the message SIM sent to the complainants, the call log from Glo line and the registered SIM  of Mrs Regina Odu, which were all admitted in evidence by Justice Kuewumi.

After reviewing the fact of the case, Bode Ayeni 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. 

While convicting the defendant Justice Kuewumi said; “Having read the charge before me to the defendant, I am satisfied that the defendant understand the charge. I uphold the plea of the defendant and he is hereby convicted. 

Following his conviction, the convict’s lawyer, Mr. Adebayo Onifade, in his alocutors, pleaded for leniency, saying that the convict had realised the gravity of his offence and felt remorseful. 

Onifade added that the convict had three children and a wife, who solely depended on him for living, adding that the convict who had written several letters of apologies to the complainants before now, is ready to write an undertaking letter that he would never come near the complainants to harm them. 

While sentencing the convict, Justice Kuewumi said that the offence was one that was fast growing in the country today and that all hands must be on the deck to nip it in the bud. 

He therefore sentenced the convict to one year imprisonment each on the three counts. 

He however, ruled that the sentence would run concurrently. 

The charge, marked FHC/L/341C/18  dated October 9, 2018 and filed by Kehinde Bode-Ayeni read as follows; “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 Court 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 Pirector, Share Services and Product, Fidelity Bank Plc in 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 25‘“ day of June, 2017 at about 2121 p.m  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 Ugochukwi ‘F’, the  Executive Director, Share Services and Product, Fidelity Bank Plc in his own Phone Number, 08033061239, over your grievances on staff issues within Fidelity Bank PIc 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.