Judge Mrs. O. I Raji of the Magistrate Court, Lagos State on Monday rejected a move by the Nigeria Police Force to remand popular Tiktoker, Olumide Ogunsanwo, popularly known as Seaking for 30 days over alleged treason.
TheNewsGuru.com(TNG) reports that Seaking was arrested for Insulting President Bola Tinubu, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
A Police prosecutor, Inspector Christopher John, thereafter arraigned Seaking before the Lagos Magistrate, accusing him of treason.
Count one of the charges against him read, “That you Ogunsanwo Olumide John ‘m’ a.k.a Seaking on the 18th day of December, 2024 around Noon time, at Ikorodu area of Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace by knowingly and intentionally sending an online video through your phone via a Tiktok handle named SEAKIG303 and called on the Nigeria Youths and members of the public to beat up or throw stones at any Police Officer who stops and or demand to check their phones and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 168(d)(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
Count two read, “That you Ogunsanwo Olumide John ‘m’ a.k.a Seaking on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did provoke breach of the peace by knowingly and intentionally sending an online video through your phone via a Tiktok handle named SEAKING303 and called on the Nigerian youths and members of the public to beat or throw stones at any Police Officers who stops and or demand to check their phones and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 57(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
Count three read, “That you Ogunsanwo Olumide John ‘m’ a.k.a Seaking on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did knowingly and intentionally sent an online video through your phone via a Tiktok handle named @seaking303 calling on the Nigerian Youths to beat up or throw stones at any Police Officer who stops and or demands to check their phones which you know is tantamount to inciting violence against members of the Nigerian Police Force and thereby committed an offence Punishable under Section 24(1)(a)(b)(2)(a) and (i) of the Cybercrime Act, 2015.”
Inibehe Effiong, who appeared for Seaking along with Jeremiah Okoro, argued that the application for remand wa intended to embarrass the court and scandalise the judiciary.
He further argued, “That the charge of treason alleged was baseless.
“That the cybercrime charge is based on the repealed Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act 2015, and not the amended Section.
“That the court should take note that the police is both the substantive and nominal complainant in the case and their intention is to punish him for speaking against the police.”
The Magistrate held that the police failed to show probable cause why remand should be remanded and adjourned the case to January 16, 2025 for report of DPP advice.
The tiktoker was then granted bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties.
The court said the sureties should be gainfully employed and one of them should be his family member.