A Nigerian Masters student who mounted a terror campaign against staff and students at Dundee University has been jailed for 40 months.
Somtochukwu Okwuoha, who threatened to plant bombs on campus, commit mass murder using biological weapons and behead police officers, will be deported when he has completed his jail time.
The 26-year-old was sentenced at Perth Sheriff Court on Friday, despite bizarre attempts to evade justice by pretending to be his identical twin brother.
The court heard how he began his hateful crusade after being spurned by a female student.
He claimed to have contacted ISIS, warned people at the university would “die in great numbers” and said: “9/11 will be a joke compared to what will happen.”
Okwuoha was found guilty of seven criminal charges – including stalking and threatening behaviour – following a trial last month.
Claims of mistaken identity
Returning to court for sentencing, via videolink from prison, Okwuoha ranted: “I was forced to stand in for my brother.
“I am not the person named on the indictment.”
Sheriff William Wood gave short shrift to his protestations and was eventually forced to mute him.
“You say you are one of 10 children born at the same time and that you are your identical brother,” the sheriff said.
“However, that position has never formed any part of your defence at any time during these proceedings and you confirmed that you were Somtochukwu Okwuoha – and replied to your name – at each calling.
“You are the person who stood trial in relation to these charges.”
Terrorism threats
Okwuoha came to Scotland to begin his Masters degree in 2021.
At Dundee University, he formed a friendship with a female student.
Sheriff Wood told him: “When she rebuffed your advances, you began a malicious campaign against her.
“You sent her threats, you tried to manipulate her emotions, you were abusive towards her in emails and texts and you tried to have her removed from her course by sending the university emails purporting to be from her.
“You also alleged she was a potential terrorist living in the UK and as a Muslim, she would engage in terrorist agencies to commit mass murder and other terrorist offences.”
The court heard how Okwuoha rejected offers of support from friends and colleagues and persisted in making allegations.
“When she complained to the university and you were suspended from the course, you then turned your attention to the university staff,” said Sheriff Wood.
“You repeatedly contacted them and made threats of violence.
“You threatened mass murder and threatened to use biological weapons and to engage with terrorist agencies.”
The sheriff said: “One member of staff became so fearful, they refused to return to work, which in turn led to their dismissal.”
Okwuoha further threatened to publish staff members’ details on social media and made unfounded allegations of racism against them.
He later broke bail conditions by turning up on campus, the court heard.
Sheriff Wood said: “Over a period of some nine months, you made threats and embarked on what can only be described as a campaign to incite terror.
“I am satisfied that only a substantial custodial sentence is appropriate.”
The sheriff made an order for deportation.
‘Blood will spill’
Solicitor Ann Ritchie, defending, told the court: “The accused’s position since conviction is that he is not the person who is named on the indictment.
“I accept that custody is the only realistic disposal in this case.”
During the eight day trial, jurors heard of emails sent to staff in autumn 2021.
One read: “Expect a massive bomb explosion at the University of Dundee.
“I have contacted ISIS terrorists to plant bombs on campus.
“I can assure you staff and students will die in great numbers.
“9/11 will be a joke compared to what will happen.
“Blood will spill and flesh will be scattered.”
Hid behind private networks
Jurors took an hour to unanimously convict Okwuoha of threatening to murder staff at the university and commit terrorist crime between December 2021 and June 2022.
He was found guilty of using private messaging networks to pose as a woman at the university and make terrorist threats in her name.
Okwuoha’s threats targeted staff and others at Dundee University as part of a seven-month campaign.
He was also found guilty of engaging in a course of conduct which caused a woman fear or alarm by repeatedly approaching her and refusing to desist.
The jury further found him guilty of posing as another person online to contact the woman by phone and on social media.
He used a virtual private network (VPN) to conceal his identity while making religiously-aggravated threats towards her.
And he was found guilty of filling in a university online form in her name to make terrorism threats against the university and make a “withdrawal from studies” request on her behalf.
Court papers state he threatened to commit mass murder, using biological weapons, revealing staff details to international authorities and claiming to have planted bombs.
He threatened to behead police officers and said he would detonate bombs he had set at the university.
He was further convicted of accusing staff at The Hub in Dundee of being racist and threatening to bomb and use biological weapons against the venue.
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