Again, Police arraign PDP publicity secretary for allegedly defaming Reps member on Facebook

Police in Ebonyi State have arraigned the Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Nwoba Chika Nwoba, before a Magistrate Court sitting in Abakaliki for allegedly publishing materials on his Facebook handle that defamed the member representing Ikwo/Ezza South federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Chinedu Ogah.

This is the second time Nwoba would be arraigned within two days. Recall that on Wednesday, Nwoba was arraigned and remanded for publishing materials on his Facebook handle against Governor Dave Umahi which the police said was punishable under section 516 A (a) of the Criminal Code Cap 33 Vol. 1 Laws of the state, 2009 and Section 5 (1) (a) of the state Cybercrimes(Prohibition) Law No.012 of 2021.

But on Thursday, Nwoba was arraigned on a six-count charge bothering on false news with the intent to cause fear and alarm to the public.

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The charges said the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, in his Facebook posts, portrayed Hon Ogah as insignificant and unfit to be a member of the House of Representatives, portrayed him as greedy and corrupt, portrayed him as a terrorist, land grabber, deceiver, timid and non-achiever which is causing annoyance, inconvenience and insult to the federal lawmaker.

After the charges were read before the defendant, his counsel, Luke Nkwegu, urged the court to strike out the charges against Nwoba.

He averred that the charges were brought against Nwoba by the police in bad faith to keep him behind bars.

Nkwegu argued that the Cybercrimes Prohibition Law of the state upon which Nwoba was being tried was not gazetted and that ungazetted law was not a law and prayed the court to grant the defendant bail.

But the Police Prosecutor, ASP Mathias Eze, opposed Nkwegu’s argument and urged the court to remand Nwoba.

In her ruling, the trail Magistrate, Blessing Chukwu, said the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter and ordered that the accused be remanded in police custody in line with Covid-19 protocols.

She also ordered that the case file be transmitted to the state Attorney General, Department of Police Prosecution and adjourned the matter to February 4.