The Federal Government has commenced the prosecution of a man, Ibezim Chike Victor, accused of being behind some publications, claiming that the former works and housing minister authored the judgments of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) that dismissed the petitions by the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Victor, who is alleged to be one of the three individuals linked to the publications, has been arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a six-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/434/2023.
He is charged with criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, and defamation, among others. The case, now before Justice Bolaji Olajuwon, has been adjourned till April 15 for continuation of trial.
The charge reads: “That you Ibezim Chike Victor, male with Jackson Udeh, Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim and Reportera.ng (body corporate) now at large on or about 05/08/2023 at Abuja, did commit an illegal Act to wit: criminal conspiracy; when you jointly agreed to publish a defamatory statement of false allegations in your online social media, the reportera.ng news, against His Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, CON, without justification, you thereby commit offence punishable under Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber-crime Prohibition, Prevention Act 2015.
“That you Ibezim Chike Victor, male, with Jackson Udeh, Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim and Reportera.ng (body corporate) now at large on or about 05/08/2023 at Abuja, did commit illegal Act to wit: Cyber stalking against His Excellency Hon. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, CON, the immediate past Honourable minister for Works and Housing, false allegation through reportera. ng online news that “Nigeria Army takes siege of his Excellency Fashola’s Abuja residence, restrict movement to and fro the former Minister of Works and Housing, amidst the scare of a possible miscarriage of justice at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) and with Fashola’s rumoured involvement in drafting a controversial verdict to throw out the case of opposition parties LP and PDP.
“That the Nigeria Army has barricaded the Abuja residence of Babatunde Fashola, the immediate past Minister of Works and Housing and Tinubu stooge and close confidant.” That the hatred, ill-will, needless anxiety and criminal intimidation, is being operated by Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim with phone number 06146435568, without justification, you thereby commit offence punishable under section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention Act 2015.
“That you Ibezim Chike Victor, male, with Jackson Udeh, Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim and Reportera.ng (body corporate) now at large on or about 05/08/2023 at Abuja, did commit illegal act to wit: injurious falsehood; when you publish in your social media, through the online reportera.ng news, hate and false speeches against his Excellency Hon. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, CON, that he drafted a controversial verdict in the case of opposition parties LP and PDP respectfully and that Nigerian Army have taken siege of his Abuja residence, restrict movement to and fro, to tarnish and injure the good image of His Excellency Hon. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, CON, without justification, you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 393 of Penal Code law.
“That you Ibezim Chike Victor, male, with Jackson Udeh, Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim and Reportera.ng (body corporate) now at large on or about 05/08/2023 at Abuja, did commit illegal act to wit: criminal defamation; when you, through the online reportera.ng news, published the above false defamatory statements that his Excellency Hon. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, CON, drafted a controversial) verdict, to throw out the case of opposition parties LP and PDP and that the immediate past Minister of Works and Housing and Tinubu’s stooge and close confidant. You published the said online news on your web page X to tarnish the good reputation of His Excellency Hon. Babatunde Raji Fashola as a former Governor of Lagos State and Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria before the eyes of the public without justification. You thereby commit an offence punishable under Section 392 of the Penal Code law.
“That you Ibezim Chike Victor, ‘M’ with Jackson Udeh, Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim & Reportera.ng body corporate now at large on or about 05/08/2023 at Abuja, did commit illegal act to wit: Influencing cause of justice; when you intentional published defamatory statements against his Excellency Hon. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, CON, and the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) with intend to influence the cause of justice that his Excellency drafted a controversial verdict of the election petition to throw out the case of opposition parties LP and PDP for the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal Panel without justification. You thereby commit offence punishable under Section 182 of the Penal Code law.
“That you Ibezim Chike Victor, male, with Jackson Udeh, Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim & Reportera.ng body corporate now at large on or about 05/08/2023 at Abuja, did commit illegal act to wit: Inciting disturbance of public peace; when you published a defamatory statement against both his Excellency Hon. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, CON, and the Presidential Election Petition Panel, to incite supporters of both LP and PDP parties against the Hon. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, CON, and Presidential Election Petition Panel without justification. You thereby commit an offence punishable under section 114 of the Penal Code law.”
