The Department of State Services (DSS) on Monday arraigned a nineteen-year-old lady before the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, for sharing a nude video of a former Bayelsa permanent secretary on social media.
The accused, identified as Miss Charlotte Delhi, was also charged with blackmailing the victim, Dr Walton Liverpool, to extort N15 million from him.
The DSS, in the suit numbered FHC/YNG/33C/2021, filed a one-count against the defendant, alleging that she was involved in cyber-stalking with the intention of blackmail.
The charge read, “That you, Charlotte Delhi on the 14th day of September 2021 in Yenagoa within the jurisdiction of this honourable court for the purpose of extorting the sum of N15 million from Dr Walton Liverpool, intentionally posted a video showing the naked appearance of the said Dr Walton Liverpool on a WhatsApp group tagged ‘Off Liverpool’ with an Iphone7 plus mobile phone and GSM. No. 08084267342.”
The prosecuting counsel, Victor Uchendu, told the court that the accused also circulated nude pictures of the retiree on other social media platforms after an unsuccessful attempt to extort N15 million from him.
According to Uchendu, the accused made and circulated nude images of the retired permanent secretary on social media on September 14, in contravention of the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act of 2015.
However, the accused Delhi pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against her.
In defence, her counsel, Andrew Arthur, who applied for her bail from DSS 13 days custody, argued that the defendant had earlier been charged for criminal defamation on the same offence and granted bail by a High Court in Bayelsa state.
Opposing the bail application, Uchendu said that he was served the bail document in the courtroom and needed time to examine it to respond.
“I was served the bail application two hours before the court sitting, and there was no time for me to study the weighty allegations,” he said.
On his part, the Presiding Judge, Justice Isa Dashen, adjourned the suit for hearing to Thursday, October 21, and ordered that the accused be remanded in the State Correctional Facility in Yenegoa.
