In Nigeria, the trial of 109 foreigners accused of operating illegal online gambling sites has faced another delay. The court has rescheduled the trial for October 22 and 23, 2025. The court originally set the date for July 2. The prosecution lawyer, citing prior commitments, failed to attend and caused the delay.
Judge Ekerete Akpan, who is overseeing the case, granted the adjournment. It was the prosecution’s first request for a postponement. This marks the second delay in the trial. The court originally scheduled it to begin on May 12. However, it did not proceed because the judge was unavailable due to official duties.
The defendants come from different countries including China, Indonesia, as well as Brazil. Authorities arrested them last year at their residence in Abuja. They now face serious allegations of operating a fraudulent and unregistered gaming platform.
During the last session, defense attorney Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, expressed their readiness to proceed with the trial. He argued against the adjournment. However, Justice Akpan accepted the prosecution’s request for a delay. He emphasized the importance of ensuring a fair process, despite the defense’s objections and insistence on moving forward.
Authorities have pressed six charges against the group of foreigners. These include cybercrime, money laundering, as well as illegal residency in Nigeria. Authorities allege that their activities pose a serious threat to national security. They say the group violated provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, which was amended last year.
In addition to these charges, the suspects reportedly accessed a computer network and entered false information with deceptive intent. This offense falls under Section 13 of the same act. Many of the defendants also face accusations of overstaying their 30-day business visas, violating sections of the Immigration Act 2015.
