The Inspector-General of Police has arraigned a housewife, Chinyere Igwegbe, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory for allegedly blackmailing and providing false information against a former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim.
The IG filed four counts bordering on the alleged supply of false information to the police with the intention to defame the former governor.
In count one, Igwegbe 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 housewife 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.
Igwegbe was 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 her allegations could not be substantiated and meant to blackmail Ohakim.
She was arrested on the premises of the Federal High Court after a session, where the IG withdrew the earlier charge against Ohakim.
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