Barely 24hours the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Ebonyi state, Nwoba Chika Nwoba, was arraigned before a Magistrate court sitting in Abakaliki, for allegedly publishing false information against Governor David Umahi on his facebook page, he has been arraigned for publishing ‘false news’ on his facebook handle against the member representing Ikwo/Ezza South federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chinedu Ogah.
On Wednesday, Nwoba was arraigned and remanded for publishing materials on his facebook page against Governor David Umahi, and on Thursday he was also arraigned before a Magistrate court sitting in Abakaliki, on six count charges bothering on false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public, against comrade Ogah.
The charges said the Publicity Secretary of the PDP on his facebook posts, portrayed Hon. Chinedu Ogah as insignificant and unfit to be a house of representatives member, portrayed him as greedy and corrupt, portrayed him as terrorist, land grabber, deceiver, timid and non-achiever which is causing annoyance, inconvenience and insult to the federal lawmaker.
After the six-count charges were read before the defendant, his counsel, Luke Nkwegu urged the court to strike out the charges against Nwoba.
Nkwegu, argued that the charges were brought against Nwoba by the police in bad faith to keep him behind bars.
He stated that the Cybercrimes Prohibition Law of the state upon which Nwoba was being tried, was not gazetted and that ungazetted law was not a law and prayed the court to grant the defendant bail.
However, the Police Prosecutor, ASP Mathias Eze opposed Nkwegu and urged the court to remand Nwoba.
“We submit that the validity of a law enacted by an act of parliament, however it may be is determined by the assent of the Governor or President”, he told the court.
The trail Magistrate, Blessing Chukwu said the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter and ordered that the accused be remanded in police custody in line with Covid-19 protocol.
She ordered that the case file be transmitted to the to the state Attorney General, Department of Police Prosecution and adjourned the matter to February 4.