Cybercrime: Arraignment of ex-Imo governor stalled

The planned arraignment of a former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim and one Chinedu Okpareke before a Federal High Court in Abuja was stalled over the absence of prosecution counsel.

The trial judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, on Monday, informed by the counsel representing Lady Chinyere Amuchienwa, who is the nominal complainant in the case, that the prosecution counsel from the Federal Ministry of Justice was bereaved.

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However, Emeka Etiaba (SAN) appeared for Ohakim, Kenneth Njemanze appeared for Okpaleke, and Ifeanyi Nweze appeared for Amuchienwa.

In his ruling, Justice Taiwo said; “in view of the information passed on to the court by counsel to the norminal complainant, this matter has been adjourned to February 24.”

In the document signed by one M.O. Omosun of the Legal/Prosecution Section of the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja, the police accused Ohakim and Okpareke of conspiring to threaten Amuchienwa with uploading her pornographic, nude photos on the internet on 13th August 2020.

Counts two and three of the charges read: “That you Chinedu Okpareke ‘m’, Dr Ikedi Ohakim ‘m’, and others now at large, on or about the 13th of August 2020, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspire amongst 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 (Prohibition Prevention etc) Act, 2005.

“That you Chinedu Okpareke ‘m’, Dr Ikedi Ohakim ‘m’, and others now at large, on or about the 13th day of August 2020, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did by means of computer system or network, send a nude picture, indecent obscene or menacing characters to one Chinyere Amuchienwa ‘f’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention Etc) Act 2015.

Also, Ohakim was on November 11, 2020, arraigned before an FCT High Court on three-count charges bordering on alleged false information against Amuchienwa over the ownership of a plot of land in Ikeja, Lagos.