A Justice of the Peace Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, has remanded a 52 years previous man, Chinagwo Paul Nweke, for allegedly cyberbullying a lawmaker, Mr Chinedu Ogah.
Ogah is a member of Nigeria’s Home of Representatives, the place he’s representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State.
Nweke’s remand adopted his arraignment on a 3 rely cost by the police on Tuesday.
Based on court docket information within the go well with numbered MAB/616c/2025, the suspect is accused of committing an offence punishable below part 516 A (a) of the Prison Code, Cap 33 , Vol. 1, Legal guidelines of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
The doc reads: “That you simply Chinagwo Paul Nweke ‘m’, and others now at giant someday in (October at Abakaliki inside the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to Wit: 516 A (a) of the Prison Code, Cap 3Vol:, Legal guidelines of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you simply Chinagwo Paul Nweke ‘m’, and others now at giant did transmit a stay broadcast through Fb account of Amarachi Nweke ‘f’, to position the mentioned Comrade Chinedu Ogah in worry of Demise, Violence and Bodily hurt and thereby dedicated an offence punishable below Part 24(2)(a) of Cyber Crimes (prohibition Prevention Act2015, as amended.
“That you simply Chinagwo Paul Nweke ‘m’ on the identical date, place and within the aforementioned magisterial District did deliberately transmit a stay broadcast through Fb account of Amarachi Nweke ‘f’, which contained menace to hurt the fame of Comrade Chinedu Ogah whom you accused of against the law within the mentioned broadcast and thereby dedicated an offence punishable below Part 24 (2) (c) of Cyber Crimes (prohibition Prevention) ACt 2015, as amended.”
When the matter got here up for listening to, counsel to the defendant, Cyprian Udu, utilized for bail for his shopper.
However police prosecutor, Eberechukwu Obi opposed the bail software.
In his ruling, Justice of the Peace Sandra Onyibe declined jurisdiction on the matter.
She ordered that the case file be transferred to the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, for additional advise on the matter.
The matter was adjourned to ninth December, 2025, for additional listening to
Chatting with reporters, counsel to the complainant, Uchenna Collins Egba, mentioned his shopper is able to pursue the matter to a logical conclusion.
“It’s only a reason behind justice. If an allegation is made towards any defendant, simply as it’s made towards Chinabuo Paul Nweke, the police need to do their very own a part of the job. Lastly, they need to arraign the defendant, simply as they only did.
“The defendant is Chinagwo Paul Nweke, whereas the nominal complainant is Comrade Chinedu Ogah on this matter. Effectively, the place of the regulation is easy, that the court docket lacks jurisdiction. That is the Chief Justice of the Peace Court of that matter. However the reality is that with regards to cyber crime legal guidelines and this prohibition side, the Justice of the Peace Court isn’t given the jurisdiction to entertain such issues.
“It’s only the Excessive Court or the Federal Excessive Court, particularly. So the Justice of the Peace Court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain this matter and that’s why they remanded the defendant. And he was equally knowledgeable of his proper to attraction on the Excessive Court for his bail as a result of typically, bail is on the discretion of the court docket.
“However the reality is that there are offenses that aren’t triable by sure courts, and there are offenses which can be triable by sure courts. Within the immediate case, the offense to which the defendant is charged can’t be tried by the Justice of the Peace Court. That’s what gave rise to the ruling that he be remanded.
“However but, he ought to know that he nonetheless has that proper to attraction for bail on the Excessive Court. It’s adjourned for what we name a report of compliance as a result of the orders of the court docket is that every one the stock of the case file of this matter be transmitted, be transferred to the Honorable Lawyer Basic’s Workplace for it to vet the file and know the following step to take.
“This matter is adjourned as it’s consistent with the legal guidelines for compliance in two weeks. Each two weeks, this matter will likely be arising in order that the Justice of the Peace answerable for this matter will know if the Honorable Lawyer Basic has accomplished the needful by vetting the court docket case information.”
