The arraignment of 109 foreign nationals accused of cybercrime was postponed on Friday due to discrepancies in their names on the charge sheet.
The defendants, originating from countries including China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, Malaysia, and Myanmar, were arrested in Abuja for allegedly operating fraudulent gaming platforms.
The case, which had initially been scheduled for November 14, faced delays after the defendants were unable to secure legal representation.
At the court’s mention on Friday, defense attorney James Onoja (SAN) revealed that discrepancies were found between the names on the charge sheet and the defendants’ actual names, discovered during routine Know-Your-Customer (KYC) checks. “The names on the charge sheet were not their names,” said Onoja, explaining that the defendants had flagged the issue when asked for their travel documents.
The prosecution, represented by A.A. Egwu, did not oppose the adjournment request but sought an order for the defendants’ embassies to provide the correct travel documents. “We need to ensure that proper identification is provided for the trial to proceed,” Egwu stated. Onoja also suggested that the arraignment be rescheduled to facilitate the necessary corrections.
In addition, lawyer Eric Oba, who represents five Brazilian nationals among the accused, requested a separate trial for his clients due to safety concerns.
Oba argued that the Brazilians feared potential harm from other defendants.
The court agreed, ruling that the Brazilians should be tried separately and their passports returned to the Brazilian government.
Justice Ekerete Akpan adjourned the case until November 29, ordering that all the defendants be transferred to the Kuje and Suleja correctional centres due to overcrowding at the police facility as the case continues to unfold.
