On Tuesday, April 25, the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police Force reportedly arraigned four persons before a magistrates’ court sitting in Yaba, Lagos State, over an alleged attempt to defraud famous female singer, Tiwatope Savage, better known as Tiwa Savage.
Reports had it that the suspects, Eniola Adeniyi, Donatus Osabanumonu, Idorenyi Okon and Michael Rodolphe, had threatened the life of the Afrobeat singer and actress while they also made attempts to defraud her.
While appearing before the court on Tuesday, the prosecutor for Force Criminal Investigation Department, Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, Idowu Oshubure, alleged that the defendants committed the offence on or before April 13, 2023.
He accused the suspects of three counts of conspiracy, intent to defraud and threat to life.
While presenting his case before Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun, Oshunbure said the offences contravened and are punishable under Sections 411 and 388 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State and Section 14(3) of the Cyber Crime Prohibition Prevention Act, 2015.
The charge read in part, “That you, Eniola Adeniyi, Donatus Osabanumonu, Idorenyi Okon, Michael Rodolphe, and others at large on or before April 13, 2023, in Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of Lagos, in this honourable court, with intent to commit the offence, fraudulently conspired among yourselves to conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace, to the annoyance of one Tiwa Savage and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
“That you, on the aforementioned date within the same court jurisdiction, with intent to defraud, did fraudulently sent messages to one Tiwa Savage through phone no 09061665942 which caused her reasonable apprehension of threat to her life, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(3) of the Cyber Crime Prohibition Prevention Act, 2015.”
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges read to them in English Language. The counsel prayed to the court to grant the defendant bail.
Having gone through their separate case file and the consent of the prosecutor, who did not object to bail, Magistrate Olatunbosun granted them bail in the sum of N300,000 with one responsible surety each in like sum while he adjourned the case to May 31, 2013, for mention.
Naija News recalls news broke out on April 14 alleging an attempted kidnap of Tiwa Savage.
Hours after the failed kidnap attempt, the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Annex, confirmed that some suspects were arrested in connection with the case.
However, the kidnap attempt did not feature in the suspects’ charge.