A member of the Interim Caretaker Committee of the People’s Democratic Party, Ebonyi State Chapter who is also the immediate past spokesman of the party, Chika Nwoba, has been remanded in Correctional Center Abakaliki for allegedly defaming a serving Commissioner in the state.
Nwoba, a social media influencer, was arraigned by the Police on Tuesday on a three-count charge following his arrest on Sunday.
His arrest followed a petition by the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Oguzor Offia-Nwali.
Nwali had in a petition alleged that Nwoba had in a series of posts he made on social media defamed him, threatened his life and falsely accused him of fraud and diversion of state funds meant for empowerment of hawkers.
Nwoba was arraigned on three-count charge suit bothering on threat to life, publication of false information and and false allegation.
The charge read, “That you Nwoba Chika Nwoba ‘m’ and others now at large on the 6th day of February, 2024 at Abakaliki within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Threat to Life, Publishing False Information and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516 A (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 33 Vol. 1 Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you Nwoba Chika Nwoba ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District did threaten the life of Hon. Oguzorkanu Offia Nwali ‘m’ by the use of electronic gadgets and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 12(1) (b) of Ebonyi State Internal Security Enforcement and Related matters, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria,
2009.
“That you Nwoba Chika Nwoba ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District did publish false information on your Facebook page accusing Hon. Oguzorkanu Offia Nwali ‘m’ a serving Commissioner in Ebonyi State Executive Council of Funds Diversion, a publication you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence under section 14 of Ebonyi State Internal Security Enforcement and Related matters, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
After the charges were read to him, Nwoba’s lawyer, C. N. Ufufu made an oral bail application for his client, noting that the offences are bailable, and argued that the prosecution did not obtain approval of the Attorney General to prosecute the matter in line with the stipulations in the Ebonyi State Internal Security Enforcement law under which he was being charged.
The Prosecutor, Superintendent Eze Chinagorom, opposed the bail application adding that the Supreme Court had already ruled that the police officer does not need formal premission to prosecute a matter since the police officer is representing the Attorney General.
Speaking on the matter, the trail Magistrate, Lynda Ogodo ordered the remand of the defendant in Correctional Center for lack of competent jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
She ordered that the original case file, evidences and documents about the matter be transferred to Department of Public Prosecution, Ministry of Justice for advice on further prosecutions.
The matter was adjourned till March 1.
