Pic: The suspect being led out of the court
By Our Correspondent
An Awka Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday remanded an online publisher and blogger, Ejike Ofoegbu, at the Awka Correctional Centre over alleged defamatory publications targeting Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and members of his family.
Chief Magistrate C.O. Ezekwere ordered the remand after the defendant, publisher of Igbo Times Magazine and INews, was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on identity theft, defamation and cyberstalking.
The court also directed that the original police case file and records of proceedings be transmitted to the Anambra State Attorney-General and the Ministry of Justice for legal advice.
Ezekwere, however, informed the defendant that the Magistrate’s Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain his bail application and advised him to approach the High Court in Awka for bail.
The remand followed an ex parte application filed by counsel to the complainant, Mr. A.A. Nwanri, alongside the Chief Security Officer to the Governor, Mr. O.K. Nkuma, and the prosecutor, Inspector Tochukwu Echemagu of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Awka.
According to the prosecution, Ofoegbu allegedly created and published fabricated and defamatory reports against Governor Soludo and his family with the intention of attracting online traffic and generating financial gain.
The prosecution alleged that the defendant falsely published reports claiming that Governor Soludo had disowned his son, Ozonna; that the governor’s son described his father as “a drunkard who beat my mum”; and alleged a drinking competition between the governor and a minister.
The prosecution further told the court that although the defendant had earlier issued a public apology and retracted the publications, he remained liable to prosecution for the alleged offences.
The alleged offences were said to contravene Sections 24(1)(b) and 38 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as well as Sections 373 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act.
The matter was adjourned until July 27, 2026, for a report of compliance with the court’s directives.
