By Chuks Eke
The Federal High Court sitting at Awka, Anambra state capital has fixed Tuesday, February 11, 2025 for hearing and possible determination of a preliminary objection raised by a defense counsel, Fredrick Okpe in a defamation of character charge brought before it by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, against eight Indigenes of Umuona community in Aguata Local Government Area of the state.
The defence counsel had at the inception of the charge on Wednesday, raised the objection challenging the jurisdiction of the federal high court to entertain the matter which he said is already pending before Anambra State High Court in Onitsha Judicial Division.
The police prosecution counsel, G. T. Nev Esq, with Ifeanyi Egbuna Esq watching the brief of the nominal complainant prayed the court to disregard the preliminary objection raised by the defense counsel and the court fixed February 11 for hearing of the preliminary objection.
In the Charge No. FHC/AWK/406C/2024, the defendañts were arraigned before the court on five counts charge brought pursuant to the Cybercrime Act 2021and Criminal Code Act for offences bordering on conspiracy, Cyberstalking, giving false information to public servant with intent to mislead and other similar offences.
The objection was raised on the ground that a similar charge based on the same facts was filed by the prosecution against the same defendants at Onistha High court which is still pending.
The accused persons, Kenneth Okoli (67), President-General of Umuona community; Ernest Onyejekwe, (69), Dr. Anthony Okoli (70), Godfrey Ezeabalim (75), Chukwudi Obiora (40), Obiakor Gilbert (67), Bartholomew Udemba (60) and HRH, Igwe Iyke S. C. Ezeofor (61) and others at large were alleged to have on December 28, 2022 at Umuona, while acting in concert, conspired among themselves to commit felony to wit: defamation of the character of HRH, Igwe Humphrey Ejesieme.
The prosecution further alleged that the accused persons had on the same date at Umuona Civic Centre, falsely accused Igwe Ejesieme in a letter they wrote to Anambra state Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs, dated May 28, 2022 of invading the general meeting of Umuona Progressive Union, UPU with thugs armed with machetes and other dangerous weapons, whereas Igwe Ejesieme attended the said.meeting on December 28, 2022 with his cabinet members only.
The prosecution contended that it was based on the accused persons’ false information as contained in their letter to the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs that prompted the state government to withdraw the certificate of recognition issued to Igwe Ejesieme in 2014 by former Governor Peter Obi as the traditional ruler of Umuona.
The prosecution said the letter to the Commissioner written by the accused persons alleging that Igwe Ejesieme attended the UPU meeting with thugs armed with machetes and other dangerous weapons created an erroneous impression so much so that the state government actted upon it to withdraw his certificate of recognition.
The case had emenated after IGP’s preliminary Investigations into a complaint brought before him by the deposed Igwe Ejesieme alleging that the defendants defamed his character in a petition they wrote to Anambra state government in which they falsely accused him of storming their town union meeting with armed thugs and chasing everybody out of Umuona Civic Centre, venue of the meeting.
Igwe Ejesieme also reported to the IGP that it was based on such a frivolous and misleading petition to the state government, by the defendants that propelled the state government to withdraw his Igweship certificate, thereby deposing him.
