The Federal Government has arraigned the Chairman of Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Olanrewaju Suraju, for allegedly cyberstalking former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke, an arrow-head in the Malabu scandal.
Suraju was arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday.
The anti-corruption advocate was in January accused of forgery and cyberstalking for allegedly circulating the fake audio of a phone interview said to have been planted to implicate Mohammed Bello Adoke, former attorney-general of the federation (AGF), in the Malabu scandal.
Mr Adoke had sent a petition to the police, accusing Mr Suraju of forging a piece of email evidence presented against him by prosecutors in the Malabu oil block transaction trial in Milan, Italy.
The former attorney-general also later complained to the police that some people, one of whom he suspected to be Mr Suraju, circulated a fake tape purporting it to be that of an interview he had with an Italian journalist admitting that the Malabu transaction was a scam.
Mr Adoke also levelled similar allegations against two prosecutors handling the Milan trial and asked for an investigation in a petition he sent to the Italian Ministry of Justice.
Mr Suraju and HEDA management have repeatedly denied all the allegations.
Amended Charge
The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has jettisoned forgery claims against Mr Suraju.
According to a copy of the amended charge obtained by POLITICS NIGERIA, the Attorney-General accused the non-profit organisation’s chair of violating some sections of the Cybercrime Act of 2015.
The process was filed on behalf of Mr Malami through the department of Public prosecution.
“That you OLANREWAJU SURAJU, Male, of 20., Mojidi Street. Ikeja Lagos sometime in 2018, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did intentionally circulate an audio telephone interview alleged to have occurred between one Ms. Carlamaria Rumor a reporter with RIA Reporter in Italy and Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke SAN via your Twitter handle @HEDAagenda which you knew to be false for the purpose of causing insult to Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke SAN and you thereby committed an offence contrary Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section of the Act.
That you OLANREWAJU SURAJU, Male, of 20. Mojidi Street. Ikeja Lagos sometime in 2018, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did intentionally circulate an audio telephone interview alleged to have occurred between one Ms Carlamaria Rumor a reporter with RIA Reporter in Italy and Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke SAN on your Facebook page with the handle @HEDAResourcecentre which you knew to be false for the purpose of causing insult to Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke SAN and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section of the Acts,” the new charge sheet read.
However, Justice Nyako granted bail to Suraju following the plea of his attorney, Muiz Banire. Afterwards, the judge adjourned the matter to May 10, for hearing.
