•Police arrest complainant in court premises

The Abuja division of the Federal High Court will on September 27 rule on the propriety or otherwise of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) taking over the case file of former Imo state Governor, Ikedi Ohakim.

Ohakim is facing trial before the court alongside Chinedu Okpareke over an allegation that he threatened to release a nude photograph of a nominal complainant, Mrs. Chinyere Amuchienwa.

Meanwhile, there was a dramatic twist in the case as the police on Thursday arrested the nominal complainant, Amuchinwa.

The ruling was necessitated by a notice of withdrawal of the charge filed by the prosecuting authority, the Inspector General of Police.

The police had through it’s prosecution counsel, Rotshang Faith Dimka, filed a notice of discontinuance against the defendants.

However, just when the said application was about to be moved, a lawyer from the office of the AGF, Bagudu Sani informed the court that the AGF is taking over the matter from the Inspector General of Police, to ensure diligent prosecution.

He told the court that he had in a letter dated March 17, 2021, communicated to the IGP to hands off the case.

It was on that basis that Justice Taiwo Taiwo adjourned the matter for yesterday for parties to address the court on the propriety of the office of the AGF taking over the case and for the arraignment of the Defendants.

When the matter resumed on Thursday, counsel to the respective parties adopted their written submissions for and against the request by the AGF to take over the case.

While the lawyer from the office of the AGF, Bagudu urged the court to grant the application, the prosecution counsel, Faith Dimka and the defence counsel all urged the court to refuse the application.

Justice Taiwo thereafter adjourned the matter to September 27 for ruling.

The police had in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CS/287/2020, Ohakim and Okpareke alleged that the accused had threatened to release a nude photograph of Amuchienwa if she failed to drop charges of attempted kidnap against them.

In the five-count charge dated November 25, 2020, Police alleged that Ohakim and Okpareke, knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication through a computer system to harass and bully Amuchienwa, an offence that is punishable under Section 24(1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.

Some of the charges against them, read, ”That you Chinendu Okpareke ‘m’ 49, and Ikedi Ohakim ‘m’ and others now at large on Aug. 13, 2020 within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire among yourselves by knowingly and intentionally sending messages by means of computer system or network in a grossly offensive, pornographic, nude of an indecent, obscene and menacing character of one Chinyere Amuchienwa ‘f’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.

”That you Chinendu Okpareke ‘m’ 49, and Ikedi Ohakim ‘m’ and others now at large on Aug. 13, 2020, within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire among yourselves to cause annoyance and criminal intimidation to one Chinyere Amuchienwa ‘f’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.

In another delopment, shortly after the court proceedings, officers of the Nigerian Police Force arrested the nominal complainant, Chinyere Amuchienwa at the court complex and whisked her away.

She was arrested in connection with a four-count charge against her by the Inspector General of Police marked CR/187/2021, dated June 25, 2021.

In the said charge signed by Matthew Omasun and Rotshang Faith Dimka, the prosecution accused Amuchienwa of supplying false information to the police with the intention to defame the defendants.

Count one of the charge reads: ” that you Chinyere Amuchienwa Igwegbe (f) of 7b Emeida Estate Apo, Abuja, FCT, on or about August 14, 2020, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did furnish police authorities with false information and via allegations in a petition by your solicitors, Agala and Agala chambers to a public servant against (1) Dr. Ikedi Ohakim (2) Chinedu Okpareke on allegations of criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation, defamation of character, attempted kidnapping and threat to life punishment with imprisonment, which could not be substantiated and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 140 of the penal code laws of Northen Nigeria.

In count three, she was accused of “intentionally exposed your genital organs and intentionally 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. (Daily Sun)

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