By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Anambra State Police Command on Tuesday paraded Governor Willie Obiano’s Senior Special Assistant on Anambra State Promotion and Protection Agency (ASPPA), Mr Philip Chinwuba, for alleged sedition and defamation.

Addressing journalists at the state Command in Amawbia, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Haruna Mohammed, said that the 56-year-old suspect circulated on various social media platforms a false and malicious publication captioned, “COVID-19 IN AWKA”.

According to him, the suspect, who is a kinsman of the state governor, claimed that coronavirus has hit Government House Awka with more than 30 senior government officials including Governor Obiano, purportedly in isolation and that late Igwe Kelly of Igbariam contracted the virus after visiting the governor to thank him for lifting his suspension and died three days to the last ofala celebration.

Chinwuba was also accused of writing that the virus was brought into Government House by the wife of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mrs Maureen Odili, from USA.

Mohammed, who represented the Police Commissioner (CP) John Abang, said: “Chinwuba wrote that Mr. Primus Odili was having sexual affairs with a light skin woman in Nigeria and because of that, bleached herself and came to show off her new look to her husband.

“Chinwuba, who is kinsmen of the Governor from Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, was arrested following an investigation by the police command on the role he allegedly played in the crime.

“Also circulated on the same premise were series of falsehood and inciting messages which was made for the purpose of causing annoyance, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will, or needless anxiety contrary to Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime(Prohibition Prevention Etc) Act, 2015.”

Mohammed observed that the circulation of the documents have been traced to suspect saying that he is expected to explain his direct involvement in authoring or otherwise.

While speaking to journalists, Chinwuba denied being the author of the publication on his blog and other social media sites.

He claimed that his lap top was stolen and his site hacked, adding that he made necessary notification to the police.

Though he ignored the question on why he did not refute the publication, he insisted that he remains an SSA to the governor on ASPPA.

He however apologised to the governor for the embarrassment the publication may have caused him and the people of Anambra and state government

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