The Inspector General of Police, IGP, on Thursday arraigned an Abuja-based housewife, Mrs Chinyere Amuchienwa Igwegbe, for allegedly furnishing the police authorities with false information against a former governor of Imo state, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, and one Chinedu Okpareke.
The Police docked the woman on a four-count charge before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, bordering on allegations of criminal conspiracy, intimidation, defamation of character, attempted kidnapping and threat to life punishable with imprisonment for failing to substantiate the allegations and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.
Count one of the four count charge reads, “That you Chinyere Amuchienwa Igwegbe ‘F’ of 7B Emelda Estate Apo, Abuja, FCT on or about the 14th August 2020 within the Jurisdiction of this honorable court did furnish police authorities with false information and via allegations in a petition by your solicitors, Agala & Agala Chambers to a public servant against Dr Ikedi Ohakim and Chinedu Okpareke on allegations of criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation, defamation of character, attempted kidnapping and threat to life, punishable with imprisonment, which could not be substantiated and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria”.
Count two reads, “That you Chinyere Amuchienwa Igwegbe ‘F’ of 7B Emelda Estate Apo, Abuja, FCT sometime in 2020 within the Jurisdiction of this honorable court did furnish police authorities with false information and via allegations in a petition by your solicitors, Agala & Agala Chambers to a public servant against Dr Ikedi Ohakim on the false allegations that you paid Dr Ikedi Ohakim the sum of N500 million only for the purchase of a land in Lagos during the 2019 election, punishable with imprisonment, which could not be substantiated and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria.
In count three, the police accused the defendant of intentionally exposing her genitals and caused distress to other parties and that “you did so with a selfie video with intention of deriving sexual pleasure from such act and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 26(3) of the violence against persons (Prohibition) Act 2015.”
Count four reads, “That you Chinyere Amuchienwa Igwegbe ‘F’ of 7B Emelda Estate Apo, Abuja, FCT severally and repeatedly within the Jurisdiction of this honorable court by spoken words and mechanical means which you intended to be read published directly and indirectly in the estimation of others, lowered the moral and intellectual character of Dr Ikedi Ohakim and Chinedu Okpareke that your words and actions were so loathsome and disgraceful that you hurt the feelings of their family and relatives and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 392 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria”.
The defendant however pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read out to her, prompting her counsel, Ifeanyichukwu Nweze to apply for bail on her behalf.
Nweze, while moving the bail application filed and served on July 12, 2021 for the bail of the defendant, along with an affidavit in support and other documents annexed, told the court that the same matter with same substances and parties is before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
He said the matter at the Federal High Court, which has been taken over by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, is awaiting ruling in September and the police arrested the defendant on the same day, July 8, 2021 that the court sat on the matter, which she was the nominal complaint.
The counsel further told the court that the police have no right to take over a matter that has already been taken over by the office of the AGF.
In her response, the prosecution counsel, R. F Dimka did not oppose the bail application, saying that granting of bail is at the discretion of the court.
She however prayed the court to attach stringent conditions in granting the defendant’s bail to ensure her presence in court to face her trial.
She narrated that the defendant had refused to honour several police invitations to her during investigations and that a warrant of arrest had to be secured before she was able to appear in court on Thursday for her arraignment.
In a ruling, the trial Judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu said the offences for which the defendant was arraigned are bailable and held that the defendant provides two sureties, who must be resident in Abuja.
The two sureties, the judge held, must have a regular income and shall continue to produce the defendant in court for her trial until it is dispensed off.
The defendant, the judge held, should deposit her international passports with the court and can only travel out of the country with the permission of the court and adjourned till October 28, 2021 for trial.
