By Editor
The Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja has summoned five social media users, Okoronkwo Ejike, Kingsley Ibeh, DJ Spoiltkid, Terrence Ekot, and Samuel Agozie for “criminal defamation” of the reputation of Mercy Chinwo and her husband, Blessed Uzochikwa.
In the summons dated April 3, 2024, Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna, sitting in Wuse Zone 6, ordered the five defendants to appear in person before the court on April 23, 2023, to answer the charges levelled against the complainants.
The complainants in the matter are Blessed Uzochikwa and Mercy Chinwo, the popular gospel singer.
The defamatory action was sequel to posts made by the defendants, last week, after the gospel singer and her husband posted a picture of their son on Instagram.
After the picture of the baby, who was born in 2023, was posted, the defendants alleged that there was a resemblance between the baby and another gospel singer, Nathaniel Bassey, and claimed that he was the father, an allegation that went viral.
In a criminal complaint filed by the complainants’ lawyers, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi of Abuja-based law firm, Law Corridor, Mercy Chinwo and her husband said the alleged actions of the defendants amounted to cyber intimidation, injurious falsehood, and cyberstalking targeted at their persons.
The complainants said the alleged actions of the defendants are contrary to Sections 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24 (1)(B) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.
The “individuals criminally injured the reputation and image of the complainants across the globe resulting from their intentional defamatory posts and an act of cyberstalking,” the lawyers said in a criminal complaint filed before the magistrate.
Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna, thereafter, directed the five defendants (Okoronkwo Ejike, Kingsley Ibeh, DJ Spoiltkid, Terrence Ekot, and Samuel Agozie) to appear before the court on April 23, 2024, to answer the charges.
