In Toronto, Canada, a Canadian-Nigerian woman named Amaka Sonnberger, 46 years old, got into very serious trouble.... CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HEREâ–¶ ... CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HEREâ–¶
She was arrested because she said some harmful things online that scared and threatened people from the Nigerian community, especially targeting the Yoruba and Benin groups.
On August 25, Amaka went on the internet and posted messages where she made very scary threats against these communities. She even talked about poisoning people, which is illegal and very dangerous. Because of these actions, the police started looking into what she did, and they arrested her on the last day of August.
The Toronto Police took this case very seriously. They treat it as a hate-motivated crime, which means they think Amaka said these things because she doesn’t like certain groups of people. This is a big deal because everyone should feel safe, no matter where they are from or what community they belong to.
Amaka is now going to face a judge at the Ontario Court of Justice. This means she will go to court, and there will be a discussion about her actions and what should be done. She has been charged with making threats, and she will learn about the consequences of her actions in court.
Why This Matters
In Canada, and in many other places, you can’t just say anything you want if it harms others. There are laws against threatening or hurting people with words. This is to make sure everyone feels safe and respected.
According to the Toronto Police Service (TPS), hate-motivated crimes often require consulting with legal authorities, and if a conviction is secured, the presence of hate can worsen the offender’s sentence.
Charges related to hate speech, like promoting hatred or advocating genocide, must get approval from the Attorney General before proceeding and might be delayed.
When hate-motivated offenses are reported, they may be investigated by a Divisional Investigator alongside the Hate Crime Unit (HCU), or in some cases, solely by the HCU. If the alleged offense, such as assault or mischief, is thought to be driven by bias, prejudice, or hate, the overseeing officer might consult with the legal authorities. If the accused is found guilty, the judge will consider hate as an exacerbating factor during sentencing.
Promoting hatred and advocating genocide fall under hate propaganda crimes which require the Attorney General’s approval to initiate charges, often resulting in delayed prosecutions.
Petitions and responses so far
Following these principles, the House of Representatives and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission have called on Canadian officials to investigate and prosecute Amaka Sonnberger for her hate-inciting comments against the Yoruba and Benin communities.
Despite earlier dismissing the possibility of arrest, Sonnberger has been spotlighted by the Nigerian Federal Government for her derogatory remarks towards the Yoruba and Benin groups in Nigeria.
Reaction from the Nigerian community
The incident triggered a wave of anger across the Nigerian community, both locally and globally. Many took to the internet, voicing their demand for the arrest of Amaka Sonnberger and any accomplices involved in the hateful declarations made during a social media broadcast.
Prominent Nigerian figures including Peter Obi and Abubakar Atiku, alongside other influential voices, have vehemently denounced the incident. They expressed their profound disapproval of the hate-driven threats, calling for prompt and decisive legal action.
