BY AGNES NWORIE ABAKALIKI
A former Coordinator of Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Okorie Daniel, has been remanded in the Abakaliki Correctional Centre for defamatory publication against the wife of the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation in Ebonyi State, Mrs Orji Ijeoma Sylvia.
In relation to a four-count charge, in a suit marked, ‘MAB/294C/2021’, the former coordinator and his accomplice, Okorie Daniel, were remanded for alleged defamatory publication without verification for accuracy in a manner to cause breach of peace and with intent to cause extreme fear to the Commissioner’s wife.
During the arraignment, the trial Chief Magistrate, Blessing Ibeabuchi-Chukwu, owing to the lack of jurisdiction of a Magistrate’s Court to grant bail on such matters, punishable under Section 12(1)(a)(b) of the Internal Security Enforcement and Related Matters, Cap 55 Volume 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009, ordered the remand of the defendants in the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abakaliki.
She directed that all documents and evidences in the matter be transferred to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for further prosecution and possibly bail at the High Court.
The charge read, “That you, Uka Franklin Chikaodili ‘m’ and Okorie O. Daniel ‘m’ on or between the month of January and March 2021, at Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: publication of defamatory matters without verifying the accuracy, in the manner to cause breach of peace and with intent to cause extreme fear and thereby committed offences punishable under sections 516A(a), 59(1),249(d) of Criminal Code Cap 33 Volume 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009 and Section 12(1)(a)(b) of the Internal Security Enforcement and Related Matters, Cap 55 Volume 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
