The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State, has adjourned until September 23, 2026, the cybercrime case filed against five former employees of Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP over alleged online publications and messages concerning the company and its Group Managing Director.
The case, marked FHC/L/1904, was instituted by the Federal Republic of Nigeria against Olayinka Gafar Oladeji, Ajibade Olufemi Adeyemi, Olatoye Jimoh Bamidele, Oluwasegun Oluwasanmi and Okewale Akintunde Oluleke.
The defendants are facing five counts bordering on alleged conspiracy, cyberbullying, transmission of threatening messages, dissemination of online publications and the alleged creation of an anonymous Gmail account in connection with reports concerning Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP and its Group Managing Director, Otunba Akinsanya Doherty.
The matter was adjourned on Thursday, July 2, 2026, after proceedings before the court.
Following the sitting, one of the defendants, Oluwasegun Oluwasanmi, who is also the Media Officer of the Lagos Branch of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, alleged that the prosecution attempted to ambush the defendants into remand by delaying service of court processes.
Oluwasanmi claimed that although the charge had been filed before the Federal High Court since March 9, 2026, the defendants were not served until June 30, 2026.
According to him, the delay allegedly prevented the defendants from responding to the processes or taking necessary steps, including filing bail applications.
“The judge discovered that they were trying to ambush me into remand,” Oluwasanmi said after the proceedings.
He alleged that the defendants had appeared several times before a magistrate court on January 16, February 26, May 13 and June 30, but were not served with the Federal High Court processes until the end of June.
“They have filed the suit at the Federal High Court since March 2026. They refused to serve us until June 30. Meanwhile, we were at the magistrate court on January 16, February 26, May 13 and June 30,” he said.
Oluwasanmi further claimed that the prosecution had earlier hinted at withdrawing the matter before the magistrate court on May 13, but that the request was not granted because the prosecutor was absent.
He said the magistrate court subsequently adjourned the case to June 30, adding that the defendants were only served with the Federal High Court processes on that date.
According to him, the court was informed that the magistrate court case had not been struck out and had been adjourned until July 23, 2026, for a decision.
He alleged that the matters before the magistrate court and the Federal High Court involved the same issue, same allegations and same defendants.
Oluwasanmi said the judge questioned why the defendants were only served on June 30 despite the case having been filed in March.
He also claimed that the court raised concerns over why the matter was filed before the Federal High Court while a related case was still pending before the magistrate court.
The prosecution, according to the charge sheet, alleged that the defendants conspired to commit cyberbullying contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.
The prosecution further alleged that on May 26, 2025, the defendants used the email address concernedstaffd33@gmail.com to send a threatening message directed at Alpha-Beta’s Group Managing Director through the company’s website and other platforms.
In another count, the prosecution alleged that the defendants intentionally communicated to the public through SaharaReporters and other media organisations a publication concerning Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP, gratuity payments, contract awards and alleged corruption within the company.
The publication was classified by investigators as alleged cyberbullying under the Cybercrimes Act.