A Deputy Director of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Mr Yisa Usman was arraigned yesterday on allegations bordering on threatening Mrs. Raheemat Oloyede on phone with the intent to blackmail her husband, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, the board’s registrar.
Usman was arraigned by the police on behalf of the Federal Government on a five-count charge before Justice Nkeonye Maha of a Federal High Court in Abuja.
He allegedly committed the offence with Abdulfatai Usman, said to be on the run, between 14th and 15th February 2022.
They were alleged to have intentionally communicated through a network computer system with phone number: +447529723948 with Mrs Oloyede “a communication which is grossly offensive, indecent, criminal intimidation for the purpose of causing inconvenience or needless anxiety” to her.
The accused were alleged to have committed the offence contrary to Section 24(1)(a) & 1(b) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Usman is the sole defendant in the charge, dated 29th March but filed on 30th March.
He pleaded not guilty to all the counts after the charge was read to him.
Police prosecutor, Eristo Asaph, made an application for a trial date after the defendant took the plea.
But Moses Balogun, who appeared for Usman, applied for bail.
“Having pleaded not guilty, we shall be applying for bail, my lord”, he said.
The lawyer informed the court that a bail application, dated and filed on 7th June, had been served on the prosecution on the same day.
Balogun said the motion on notice was brought pursuant to sections 35 and 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution and in compliance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
He told the court that during the investigation of the matter and while Usman was admitted to an administrative bail, he complied with the terms of the bail.
The lawyer, who said Usman was a deputy director, prayed the court to grant him bail on liberal terms or self-recognition pending the hearing and determination of the case.
Asaph did not oppose the application.
In a ruling, Justice Maha admitted Usman to a bail in the sum of N2 million with a surety who must be a civil servant on Level 14 and must own a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
She ruled that the defendant and the surety must submit their travel documents and a passport photograph each to the court’s registrar.
In the alternative, the judge held that the surety could also be a responsible citizen with evidence of tax payment for a period of two years and must have a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
She said the surety must also depose to an affidavit of means.
Justice Maha ordered that Usman should be remanded at a correctional centre pending the perfection of his bail and adjourned the matter till 26th October for trial.
But Balogun, who prayed the court to order a release of his client to him pending the perfection of his bail within five days, pledged to write an undertaking to the effect.
The judge granted the plea and ordered that the undertaking must be completed before the close of work.
