One Chinyere Amuchienwa, a housewife, has appeared before the Federal Capital Territory High Court for allegedly blackmailing and providing false information against a former Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim.
The Inspector-General of Police filed four counts against the defendant bordering on the alleged supply of false information to the police with the intention to defame the former governor.
In count one, Amuchienwa was alleged to have;
“furnished police authorities with false information and via allegations in a petition by your solicitors, Agala and Agala Chambers, to a public servant against Dr Ikedi Ohakim and Chinedu Okpareke on allegations of criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation, defamation of character, attempted kidnapping and threat to life, punishable with imprisonment, which could not be substantiated and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code, Laws of Northern Nigeria.”
In count two, the defendant was alleged to have supplied the police with the false information that Ohakim paid N500m to buy land in Lagos during the 2019 elections and could not substantiate the claim.
The ex mistress was also alleged to have exposed her genitals and intentionally caused distress to other parties through a selfie video with the intention of deriving sexual pleasure from such an act and thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 26(3) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition)Act, 2015.
Amuchienwa was also accused of alleging that Ohakim and Okpareke threatened to release her nude pictures to the public.
The former governor was apprehended and charges filed against him as a result, but it was later discovered that Amuchienwa’s allegations could not be substantiated and was meant to blackmail Ohakim.
She was therefore arrested on the premises of the Federal High Court after a session, where the IG withdrew the earlier charge against Ohakim.
Recall that on November 11, 2020, the police arraigned Ohakim and his co-defender Chinedu Okparaeke, on 5 count charges bordering on; harassment, criminal intimidation, bullying and giving false information against Amuchienwa, Ohakim’s former mistress.
The case which was marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/287/2020, had alleged that Ohakim and Okpareke, “knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication through a computer system to harass and bully” Ms Amuchienwa, an alleged offence said to be punishable under Section 24(1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.
“That you Chinendu Okpareke ‘m’ 49, and Ikedi Ohakim ‘m’ and others now at large on Aug. 13, 2020 within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire among yourselves by knowingly and intentionally sending messages by means of computer system or network in a grossly offensive, pornographic, nude of an indecent obscene and menacing character of one Chinyere Amuchienwa ‘f’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.
”That you Chinendu Okpareke ‘m’ 49, and Ikedi Ohakim ‘m’ and others now at large on Aug. 13, 2020 within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire among 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 Act 2015” the charge read in part.
On Thursday, March 18, 2021, a lawyer from the Attorney General of the Federation’s office, Bagudu Sani, appeared before the Federal High Court in Abuja, announcing the decision of the office to take over the case from the police.
“The office of the AGF has taken over prosecution of the case from the police via a letter dated March 17, 2021,” Sani had said after the matter was called.
He added that the letter had been sent to the IGP whom he said, had also acknowledged receiving it.
However, the Police counsel Dimka, opposed the take over arguing that the police were the complainant in the case and were responsible for the filing of the charges.
The presiding judge, Taiwo Taiwo, had to defer the arraignment following the dispute arising from the AGF’s move to take over the prosecution from the police.
He asked the lawyer from the AGF office to serve copies of the letter sent to the IGP on all the parties to the case and adjourned the matter till May 6.
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