Alleged cybercrime: Police to arraign blogger, Ofoegbu, before Federal High Court

The case of alleged Cybercrime against a social media content creator, Mr Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu, by the Police is to shift from the Chief Magistrate Court, sitting at Zone 6, Abuja to the Federal High Court.

It would be recalled that Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna granted the Police an order to remand the blogger in prison while the matter was being investigated by the police.

Lawyers to the blogger, led by Marvin Omorogbe, had applied for the bail of the blogger pending arraignment.  

While the bail application was pending, the police filed a four-count charge of criminal intimidation, cyberstalking and cyberbullying against the blogger, also known as Ijele before the Federal High Court Abuja. 

When the matter came up on Thursday for ruling on Ijele’s bail application,  the Chief  Magistrate said his court has no jurisdiction to handle the matter and agreed with the prosecution that Ijele be arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja

Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna said the charges preferred against the defendant fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the High Court.

According to the Chief Magistrate, “From the record of the court, there is a pending charge before the Federal High Court against the defendant.

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“This shows that the prosecution has completed investigation on the matter. Since the defendant cannot be tried here, he needs to be arraigned before the Federal High Court, which is the most competent court for the defendant to take his plea”.

Earlier before the ruling, the prosecution counsel, Obiora Ejiofor informed the court of disparaging comments by the defendant on social media about the court and wondered why somebody in custody would have access to the social media to make such comments to intimidate the court.

Counsel to the defendant, Marvin Omorogbe, opposed the submission of the prosecution counsel, adding that the defendant is in custody and has no access to his phone.

The Chief Magistrate however told the defense counsel that he would not take it lightly if it was confirmed that the defendant made disparaging comments about the court in the social media.

The social media content creator was arrested by the police for allegedly threatening to kill the founder and spiritual director of the Zion Prayer Movement.

In a video he posted on his Facebook page, Ofoegbu, appearing in military camouflage, threatened to kill Ebuka Obi and cut off his head. He also threatened to kill any police officer who attempted to arrest him.

In another post, Ofoegbu carried a placard on which he wrote, “Evangelist Ebuka Obi is a criminal and liar” and tagged all the miracles in Zion as deceits, urging the police to arrest him for turning his religious institution into a business enterprise.