A Nigerian man, Ayan Olubunmi has been sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of N500,000 for posting nude pictures of his ex-lover on Facebook.
Ayan had been dragged before the court after Monica petitioned the office of Attorney General of the Federation AGF, Malami Abubakar. Counsel to the AGF, O.A. Oyewole had told the court during hearing of the suit yesterday October 24th, that Ayan, a married man had had an affair with Monica and that when she asked for the relationship to end, he Ayna threatened to release her nude photos which she sent to him online unless she pays him N200, 000. When she couldn’t fulfill his monetary demand, Ayan went ahead with his threat and released her nudes on Facebook.
While delivering judgement on the matter, the presiding judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, said Ayan was found guilty of committing the crime after evidence made available to the court was found as “incontrovertible proof that he willfully and maliciously committed the crime”. Describing the crime as disgraceful, very despicable and barbaric, Justice Taiwo said Ayan is guilty of violating Section 24 (1) of the Cyber Crime Act, 2015 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
Justice Taiwo then sentenced Ayan to two years’ imprisonment, and a fine of N500,000 to be paid into the coffers of the Federal Government.
“I find this act of the convict highly disgraceful, very despicable and barbaric to say the least. He has behaved true to the saying that hell knows no fury than a lover ‘s scorn. I must say that the defendant who has a wife and children at home could find it easy to demean and embarrass a woman who was having an amorous affair with him. It is an act of meanness to attempt to, if he has not already tarnished the image and reputation of Asare Monica. The act of the convict is very strange in our society not to talk of in Aisegba-Ekiti and Ekiti State in general where there are very proud and educated men and women and the society is so closely linked together and everyone knows one another. The world has become a global village with the emergence of the social media. Who knows who would have seen the nude pictures?
“Justice in this case demands that people like the convict should be taught a lesson that would serve as deterrent to others who may like to behave in such manner. Under no circumstance must Asare Monica or any of her families and relatives be harassed by anyone. I therefore charge the Police to arrest anyone found to harass Monica or any of her relatives or families and friends.”
The presiding judge said the jail term takes immediate effect, adding that he had been lenient in sentencing the culprit as the punishment for his crime attracted a fine of N7 million and a three-year jail term according to the Cyber Crime Act. He said the court tempered Justice with mercy because of the pleas of the culprit’s counsel that he has a family and he is a first time offend
