Man bags 2-year-jail term, to pay N500,000 for posting nude picture of lover
A man, Ayan Olubunmi, in his early 40s, has bagged two-year jail term and a fine of N500,000 for posting nude pictures of his ex-lover, Arare Monica, on Facebook.
This was the ruling of Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, on Suit FHC/AD/17c/2017 which was between the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and Ayan Olubunmi.
Counsel to the AGF, simply identified as Mrs Oyewole, had disclosed to the court that Ayan had threatened to post nude pictures of his ex-girlfriend, Monica on the social media sometimes in 2017, when the lady told him she was no longer interested in their amorous relationship.
According to the counsel, Monica, a single lady, had pleaded with Ayan, who is married with children, not to carry out his threat and he had requested for the sum of N200,000 as an inducement for him to rescind his decision.
Ayan had, however, posted the nude pictures of Monica as he threatened when the lady could not get him the money he demanded.
Justice Taiwo, while delivering his judgement on the case on Wednesday, said Ayan was found guilty of committing the crime after several evidences made available to the court, showed 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.
The judge, therefore, sentenced the culprit to two years imprisonment, and a fine of N500,000 to be paid into the covers of the Federal Government.
Justice Taiwo said that 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 N7Million and 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 offender.
The judge lamented that those who made the law issuing a punishment of N7 million and three-year jail term to the persons guilty of such crimes did not make provisions for compensation for the victim. He, therefore, advised that such provision should be made by lawmakers in a future exercise in amending the laws.
Speaking further on the nature of the crime committed by Ayan, Justice Taiwo said: “I find the 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 Ayesegba 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 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 a manner.
” Under no circumstance, must Asare Monica or any of his families and relatives should 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,” he said.
