By TAIYE AGBAJE

A 37-year-old woman, Blessing Edet, was on Tuesday docked in a Federal High Court, Abuja for allegedly defaming Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom.

Edet, who was arraigned before Justice Ahmed Mohammed by the Nigerian police on a six-count charge, however pleaded not guilty.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the Inspector-General of Police is the complainant in the charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/181/2021, Edet is the sole defendant.

Count one of the charge read that “you Blessing Ossom Edet ‘F’ 37 years of No. 18 Buchanan Crescent Wuse II, Abuja, on or before April 11, 2020, sent messages or other matter with the captioned: “Names of Married Women/Politicians’ Wives Sleeping with Gov. Emmanuel Loading,” through her Facebook page.

She was also accused of sending a message with a caption: “So We Are Going Dirty It’s Time To Break The Final Table Stay Tune,” through her Facebook page.

Besides, Edet was alleged to have sent a message captioned: “That the Hon. Commissioner for Women Affairs and Agriculture, Dr Glory Edet, was the Actual First Lady of Akwa Ibom, who has Overthrown the Real Wife of the governor.

This act, according to the charge, is grossly offensive and an offence punishable under Section 24 (a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015.

Edet pleaded not guilty to the six counts.

Justice Omotosho, who said that the offence listed in the counts were bailable ones, held that Section162 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 allowed the court to grant the bail.

“As offences are bailable offences, this court see no reason in denying the defendant bail,” he said.

The judge, who admitted Edet to a bail in the sum of N500,000 with a surety in the like sum, said the surety should be a civil servant or somebody with a reasonable means of income.

Mohammed ordered Edet to, immediately after the sitting, deposit her international passport with the court registry and that failure to meet the terms, she should be remanded at Suleja Prison pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.

The judge adjourned the matter until May 10 for trial. (NAN)