The Federal High Court has commenced the prosecution of Ibezim Chike Victor who alleged that former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, of drafting the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) judgement.
Victor was arrested by the Nigerian police force at his office in Maitama, Abuja, on August 10, 2023.
The publication alleged that Fashola was involved in the drafting of the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC).
Victor also claimed that soldiers were deployed to restrict movements around Fashola’s residence ahead of the judgement, which the PEPC would deliver about a month later, on September 4.
Victor was one of the three individuals linked to the publications.
The others are Jackson Udeh, Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim and Reportera.ng (body corporate), now at large on or about 05/08/2023 8, 2023, in Abuja.
He has been arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a six-count charge of criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, and defamation, among others.
“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,” on of the charges reads.
Victor was also charged with violating the law by allegedly cyberstalking Fashola and spreading false information through reporters and online news sources that “the Nigerian Army besieges Fashola’s Abuja residence and restricts movement to and from the former Minister of Works and Housing amid fears of a potential miscarriage of justice at the PEPT and with Fashola’s rumoured involvement in drafting a controversial verdict to throw out the opposition parties’ PDP and LP case.”
He was also accused of committing an illegal act, to wit: inciting disturbance of public peace; when he published a defamatory statement against both Fashola and the Presidential Election Petition Panel to incite supporters of both LP and PDP parties against Fashola and the Presidential Election Petition Panel without justification.
“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,” another charge reads.
Justice Bolaji Olajuwon, presiding over the case, has adjourned it till April 15 for the continuation of the trial.
