Court strikes cybercrime charges against man accused of threatening governor

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday struck out the cybercrime case filed against a man, Sanusi Dankaka, who was charged with threatening to publish nude videos and photographs of Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf on social media.

The judge, Salim Ibrahim, struck out the case after the prosecution lawyer, A.Y. Afegbua, applied to withdraw the charges against Mr Dankaka.

The defendant’s counsel, Kauna Penzin, did not object to Mr Afegbua’s application for withdrawal of the case, and the judge, in a short ruling, struck out the case.

Although the judge had adjourned the matter until 7 December for the trial to commence after the defendant pleaded not guilty, the case was rescheduled for Tuesday and listed as item number 28 on the day’s cause list.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the State Security Service (SSS) arraigned Mr Dankaka on two cybercrime charges filed on 22 October.

In one of the counts, the prosecution alleged that Mr Dankaka and some others still at large, in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, claimed via Facebook to possess nude videos and photographs of Governor Yusuf.

The prosecution alleged that the defendant “threatened to release them to the public.” and indeed attempted to send out the alleged “malicious publication” via his Facebook page: Sanusi Dankaka Yahaya”.

It alleged that his action violated Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and was punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.

In another count, the SSS alleged that he and some others still at large, sent out a malicious publication claiming he possessed the said videos and photographs of the governor.

The SSS alleged that Mr Dankaka knew the content of the publication was false, but still sent it out anyway to cause annoyance, inconvenience, insult and injury to Mr Yusuf’s person and reputation.

The SSS said the offence is contrary to and punished under Section 24(1) of Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015, as amended.

The prosecution lawyer did not disclose the reason for the withdrawal of the charges on Tuesday.