Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a case against Bolanle Aseyan, a medical doctor who faced allegations of cybercrime and cyberbullying.
Gatekeepers News reports that the case was filed by the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), which brought a four-count charge against Aseyan for allegedly harassing and intimidating Olufunmilayo Ogunsanya, a UK-based medical doctor known on X by the username @OurFavOnlineDoc.
The controversy began in June 2020 when Aseyan publicly accused Ogunsanya of s3xual and emotional abuse during their one-year relationship.
In response, Ogunsanya dismissed these claims, stating that their s3xual encounters occurred only under the influence of alcohol while they were living together. He subsequently threatened legal action against Aseyan, seeking £10,000 (approximately N4.8 million) in damages for the harm caused to his reputation.
The police charged Aseyan with damaging her ex-lover’s reputation on social media, in violation of the Cyberbullying Prevention and Prohibition Act. Throughout the trial, the prosecution called three witnesses, while Aseyan presented two witnesses in her defence.
On Friday, Judge Peter Lif delivered the ruling, stating that the prosecution failed to establish the necessary legal elements of the charges against Aseyan. He noted that the evidence presented did not support claims of threats or intimidation and acknowledged the existence of a prior romantic relationship between the two parties.
The court also highlighted that both individuals had engaged in reciprocal social media communications following their breakup.
Furthermore, the prosecution did not provide key evidence, including Aseyan’s social media handle, which was essential to substantiate the claims. As a result, all four charges against Aseyan were dismissed.
The judge also mandated that the police return seized items, including Aseyan’s international passport, upon notification of the judgment.
