Blogger in Prison Over Publication

A 29-year-old blogger, Desmond Ike-Chima, has been remanded in prison pending the hearing of his bail application over alleged malicious publication against the Managing Director of United Bank of Africa, UBA, Plc, Philips Oduoza.

The defendant was remanded by Justice Mohammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court Lagos.He was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on malicious publication, preferred against him by the police.

The prosecutor, Henry Obiazi, told the court that the defendant and others still at large sometime in March 2015, at Ojodu falsely published an article by means of computer on the Internet entitled Randy UBA MD, Philips Oduoza in Adultery Mess, Romances Star Actress Genevieve Nnaji.

He alleged that the publication was for the purpose of causing annoyance, incontinence danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to the victim.

Obiazi, also alleged that the blogger’s publication led to the wife of Oduoza divorcing him over the alleged affairs with actress Genevieve.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed are punishable under Sections 24 (1) (b) Cybercrime Prohibition Prevention Act, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2015.

Ike-Chima pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the trial judge adjourned the case to November 6 for the hearing of the bail application.