The trial of a 49-year old Photographer and suspected blackmailer, Prince Chukwudi Samuel Timothy, popularly known as Chucks, has taken another dimension over the alleged blackmailing of the Ezendigbo in Ijegun and Ijedodo kingdoms, Eze Chika Nwokedi and Chief Sunny Akpaoyibo in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that at the Ejigbo Magistrate Court, where Chucks is facing criminal trial, the prosecutor, Supol Benedict Aigbokhan, moved a motion before the Court for the amendment of the earlier charges with fresh ones, which attract several years of imprisonment.
The Court subsequently granted the motion and fresh three-count charges were read to him and he pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Benedict Aigbokhan, did not object his being granted bail rather he asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.
The defendant’s Counsel then asked the Court to allow him to remain on the former bail conditions earlier granted him before he was remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending the perfection of the bail.
Thus, the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. A.K Ariyo, granted him bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment.
The matter was further adjourned till 5th June, 2023, for hearing.
Meanwhile, having realized that he may likely go to prison, if tried and found guilty before the Court because of available evidence, he went to the Palace of Eze Nwokedi begging for forgiveness having admitted to have blackmailed Eze Nwokedi and Chief Akpaoyibo in the voice notes circulated on the social media.
While still sending emissaries to beg Eze Nwokedi on his behalf, he was said to have gone on social media through a publication by CrimeWorld Magazine and falsely accused the DPO and some Police officers at Isheri Oshun Division of being behind his travail, having admitted and confessed that he actually blackmailed the complainants.
The media outfit, CrimeWorld magazine, has since realized that he lied against the Police officers and some media practitioners and has removed the publication from their website.
The defendant, Chucks, landed in trouble following a petition written by Eze Nwokedi and Chief Akpaoyibo after he allegedly demanded certain amount of money from them through a text message and when they did not give him the money, he went on the social media and alleged Eze Nwokedi was a fake king and Akpaoyibo was a ritualist.