A Canadian-Nigerian woman is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, September 2, 2024, following her arrest by Toronto Police for allegedly making hate-motivated threats against the Nigerian community.
Amaka Sonnberger, 46, was apprehended on Sunday following an investigation into online content she reportedly posted on August 25, threatening violence against specific members of the Nigerian community.
Charged with uttering threats, Sonnberger will face a judge at the Ontario Court of Justice.
The case is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence, with the Toronto Police Hate Crime Unit involved in the investigation.
Toronto Police Service, in a Sunday statement on its website titled, โSuspected Hate-Motivated Threatening Investigation, Woman Arrested,โ revealed this.
It read, โToronto Police have arrested a woman in connection with a suspected hate-motivated threat investigation. The arrest follows a report received on August 28, 2024, regarding a threatening incident. Authorities allege that on or around August 25, 2024, Amaka Sonnberger, 46, of Toronto, posted online content threatening the lives of specific members of the Nigerian community.
โSonnberger was taken into custody on September 1, 2024, and has been charged with uttering threats. She is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, September 2, 2024, at the Ontario Court of Justice, located at 2201 Finch Avenue West.
โThe investigation is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence. Police are urging anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-3500 or reach out anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.222tips.com.โ
Hate-motivated crimes
According to the statement, TPS said that hate-motivated crimes may involve consultation with the Crown, and if convicted, hate is considered an aggravating factor in sentencing.
It added that hate speech charges, such as promoting hatred or advocating genocide, require the Attorney Generalโs consent and are often delayed.
โWhen suspected hate-motivated offences are reported to police, the investigation could be led by a Divisional Investigator with the support of the Hate Crime Unit (HCU), or in some cases, will be investigated exclusively by the HCU.
โIf it is alleged a criminal offence was committed (such as assault or mischief) and it is believed to have been motivated by bias, prejudice, or hate, the officer-in-charge may consult with the Crown. If a person is charged and convicted of the offence, the Judge will take into consideration hate as an aggravating factor when imposing a sentence.
โWilful promotion of hatred and advocating genocide are hate propaganda (hate speech) offences which require the Attorney Generalโs consent to lay charges. These charges are often laid at a later time,โย itย concluded.
NDDC, HOR petition
The House of Representatives and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission had petitioned the Canadian authorities, demanding an investigation and prosecution of the woman.
S0nnberger, also earlier, had dismissed the possibility of arrest or deportation after the Nigerian House of Representatives urged the Canadian government to prosecute her for inciting violence and genocide against Yoruba and Benin people.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government of Nigeria earlier revealed Sonnbergerโs identity for making threatening comments against fellow Nigerians of Yoruba and Benin descent.
Sonnbergerโs threat
In a video clip that started trending on X.com last Tuesday, a womanโs voice was heard making anti-Yoruba comments during a virtual meeting on TikTok.
She spoke mainly in Pidgin English, threatening to poison Yoruba and Benin people.
She said: โRecord me very well; itโs time to start poisoning the Yoruba and the Benin. Put poison for all una food for work. Put poison for una water, make una dey kpai one by oneโ.
Nigerians reaction
The incident sparked outrage from concerned Nigerians who swarmed the Internet, demanding her arrest alongside her other accomplices for calling for the death of other Nigerians during a social media engagement.
Peter Obi, as well as Abubakar Atiku, and other prominent Nigerians, have strongly condemned the incident, expressing their outrage over the hate-motivated threats.
They have called for swift justice and urged authorities to ensure that such acts are met with the full force of the law, emphasising the need for unity and tolerance in the face of such divisive actions.
