The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday adjourned until September 23, 2026, the criminal proceedings against five former employees of Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP, a tax consultancy firm long linked to President Bola Tinubu, over allegations arising from reports they made concerning alleged corruption and misconduct within the company.
The matter was stalled after defence counsel raised objections over what they described as the late service of court processes, arguing that the defendants were only served on June 30 despite the case having been filed on March 9, 2026.
The defendants contend that the delay denied them sufficient time to respond to the charges, apply for bail and adequately prepare their defence.
One of the accused persons, Mr. Segun Oluwasanmi, Media Officer of the Lagos State chapter of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), alleged that the prosecution attempted to secure their remand through what he described as an ambush strategy.
According to Oluwasanmi, the former workers had repeatedly appeared before a Magistrate’s Court on January 16, February 26, May 13 and June 30 in connection with related proceedings, yet were not formally served with the Federal High Court documents until two days before Thursday’s hearing.
He maintained that the timeline raised serious questions about the conduct of the prosecution and the management of the case.
Oluwasanmi further stated that an earlier attempt to withdraw the matter from the Magistrate’s Court on May 13 did not succeed because the prosecuting counsel was unavailable, leading to an adjournment until June 30.
He alleged that no effort was made to serve the defendants during that period and that the prosecution only moved to do so at the last minute.
During proceedings, defence lawyers reportedly informed the court that the matter before the Magistrate’s Court had not been struck out and remained adjourned until July 23, 2026, while insisting that the allegations before both courts were substantially identical.
The trial judge was said to have sought clarification on why a fresh case was instituted at the Federal High Court when related proceedings involving the same parties and accusations were already pending elsewhere.
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 five former employees are facing charges bordering on alleged conspiracy, cyberbullying, transmission of threatening messages, dissemination of online publications and the alleged use of an anonymous email account.
Prosecutors alleged that the defendants violated Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, by conspiring to commit acts classified as cyberbullying.
The charge also alleged that on May 26, 2025, the defendants used the email address concernedstaffd33@gmail.com to transmit threatening messages directed at Alpha-Beta Group Managing Director, Otunba Akinsanya Doherty, through digital platforms linked to the company.
Additional counts accused the former employees of circulating publications alleging unfair labour practices, poor gratuity payments, preferential treatment in contract awards and other claims involving senior officials of the organisation.
The prosecution maintains that the publications constitute criminal acts under the Cybercrimes Act.
The defendants, however, insist that their actions amounted to whistleblowing efforts intended to expose alleged corruption, abuse and irregularities within the company, arguing that the criminal proceedings are retaliatory in nature.
The case has drawn widespread interest amid continuing national conversations on whistleblower protection, corporate accountability and the application of cybercrime laws in matters involving influential political and business interests.
The matter was subsequently adjourned until September 23, 2026, for further hearing.