Threat Letters Land Man In Court

For allegedly threatening the life of a British national with letters, the police at Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, have arraigned Opeyemi before the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court on a two-count charge of felony to wit demanding with written threat letters.

The police alleged that the accused between 28 January 2011 and 14 April 2011 sent threat letters to the foreigner shortly after he voluntorily resigned from work as English teacher in the school situated at Oniru area of Maroko, Lekki, Lagos State where the victim is a vice principal.

The accused was alleged to have sent several threat letters to the victim, Mr. Robert Baker, a Briton, to force him out of Nigeria. The accused was also said to have, in the letters, threatened to kill the Briton if he refused to leave Nigeria, saying the vice principal was behind his sudden resignation from the school, a claim which, according to the police, was false.

The victim was said to have reported the matter to the police who promptly arrested him.

During a search of his house, copies of the threat letters were allegedly found inside his lap top computers.

During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the crime and was taken before the court on a two-count charge. The offences, according to the prosecutor, Inspector Haruna Ibrahim, are punishable under Section 517 and 407 of the Criminal Code cap 17, vol. ii, laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2003.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and the magistrate granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety who must be his blood relation and who must show proof of tax payment to the Lagos State government. The matter was then adjourned.

The accused was, however, ordered remanded in prison when he could not meet his bail conditions.

—Paul Iyoghojie