The Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto has postponed the hate speech trial of Nigerian-Canadian, Amaka Sonnberger, who was arrested for allegedly making threats against members of the Nigerian community.
The case, originally set for October 2024, has been rescheduled for November 15, 2024.
Keesha Seaton, a spokesperson from Canada’s Ministry of the Attorney General, said, “This case will return to court on the set date of November 15, by video, for the Ontario Court of Justice.”
Sonnberger, 46, was arrested in September after a Toronto Police investigation into a threatening social media post made on August 25, 2024. In the post, she allegedly made threats against specific members of the Nigerian community. Sonnberger was released from police custody but has signed an undertaking to appear in court.
The Toronto Police confirmed her arrest in a statement: “Toronto 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 claim Sonnberger posted a video online where she made inflammatory statements in Pidgin English during a virtual TikTok meeting. In the video, she allegedly said, “Record me very well; it’s 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 one.”
The video went viral, sparking outrage within the Nigerian community and calls for her arrest. Both the Nigerian House of Representatives and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission petitioned Canadian authorities to investigate and prosecute her for inciting violence and hate speech.
Sonnberger has been charged with uttering threats, and the case is being handled by the Toronto Police Hate Crime Unit, which is treating it as a hate-motivated offense.
The police have urged anyone with additional information to contact them directly or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
