Posting sex tapes on social media attracts jail term — Lawyer

By KAYODE OYERO

An Abuja-based lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, says posting sex tapes on social media attracts up to three-year jail term and up to N7m fine.

He made this known in a statement on Thursday while reacting to the leaked sex tape of singer Ikuforiji Abdulrahman, aka Oxlade, and another sex tape involving singer Tiwa Savage.

The lawyer said the obscene display of nudes and the sharing of sex tapes on the internet is capable of causing damage to public decency and national morality.

“It is a criminal act punishable by law,” he noted in the statement titled, ‘Posting of sex tapes and other indecent videos on the internet is criminal, punishable by law and also offends public morality’.

The statement partly read, “Under the Cybercrimes Act, 2015 applicable in all States of the federation including FCT-Abuja, Section 24 of the Act provides thus;

“(a) Any person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems or network that is grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character or causes any such message or matter to be so sent;… commits an offence under this Act and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N7, 000,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of not more than 3 years or to both such fine and imprisonment.”

It added, “It is clear that the sharing of indecent files on the internet or other related gadgets is an offence which the law frowns upon. Apart from the personal injury and effect on the victim, flying of same across the internet is equally capable of causing public nuisance which may result in the breach of public peace if handled lackadaisically.

“In addition to this, it is imperative to understand that as Africans we hold morality and decency in high esteem and this generation of ours must act cautiously while using media and the internet in order to protect the sanity of our culture.

“While appealing to users to keep national values and respect the rights of others in view at all times, we equally implore our law enforcement agencies to be up to their task in upholding the rule of law in this grey area.” (The PUNCH)