Lawyer speaks after landmark cyberbulling conviction – The Sun Nigeria

By Rita Okoye 

Adekunle Gold’s lawyer, Oyinkansola Fawehinmi, has reacted to the recent conviction of an X user, Adeboye Samuel Adeyeye, popularly known as @Swanky001, following his posts on the singer’s daughter.

The Federal High Court in Lagos recently convicted Adeyeye for cyberbullying, cyber-threats and cyber-harassment against Adekunle Gold and his family.

Delivering judgment in the case of IGP v. Adeboye Samuel Adeyeye (Suit No. FHC/L/236C/26), the court found Adeyeye guilty on all three counts, marking what observers describe as a landmark ruling on online harassment and defamation in Nigeria.

According to the prosecution, the incident began in July 2025 when Adeyeye posted false claims on his X account alleging that the daughter of celebrity couple Adekunle Gold and Simi had died.

Despite widespread criticism and appeals from social media users to delete the post due to concerns over the child’s safety, the defendant allegedly refused to remove it.

Investigators told the court that Adeyeye deliberately sustained the false narrative for about eight months in a bid to boost engagement and benefit financially from X’s ad-revenue sharing programme.

The harassment campaign reportedly continued until March 2026, when security operatives arrested the defendant.

During proceedings, the defence counsel pleaded for leniency, citing Adeyeye’s age, health condition, status as a first-time offender and his admission of guilt. The court also considered apology letters submitted by his parents.

In his ruling, the presiding judge sentenced Adeyeye to two years imprisonment on Count One for cyberbullying under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act 2024, two years imprisonment on Count Two for cyber-threats under Section 24(2)(i) of the Act, and one year imprisonment on Count Three for cyber-harassment under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.

The court, however, ordered that the sentences run concurrently and gave the convict an option of a ₦1 million fine. A permanent restraining order was also issued, barring him from further actions capable of damaging the reputation or peace of the complainants.

Legal analysts described the judgment as one of Nigeria’s first high-profile convictions involving celebrity cyberbullying, noting that Adekunle Gold and his legal team opted for judicial redress instead of engaging in online exchanges.

Reacting to the judgment, Adekunle Gold’s lawyer, Oyinkansola Fawehinmi, warned that investigations into other accounts linked to the smear campaign were ongoing.

“This decision should serve as notice to anyone publishing or amplifying defamatory statements against our clients. Investigations into other accounts connected to this campaign are ongoing, and we are confident that due process will take its full course,” she said.

She also commended the Nigeria Police Force and the judiciary for their handling of the matter, while thanking fans and supporters of the family for standing by them throughout the case.