A magistrate court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria’s South-east, has remanded a ‘prophet’, Nwebonyi Unadinma, in prison for attempted murder and arson.
Mr Unadinma, 24, also faces 14 other counts, including defamation of character, malicious damage, and stealing.
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The police in Ebonyi State filed the charges against him at the magistrate court.
The police prosecutor, Lilian Aliede, told the court that Mr Unadinma committed the offences at Offianka Inyima, Agharaoza, Affiauku and the Ochiohu Inyegu Communities in Izzi and Ikwo Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State.
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The prosecutor said the defendant committed the alleged offences in 2020, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
‘Fake prophecies’
Before now, Mr Unadinma had allegedly been releasing what many described as “fake prophecies” in communities in the Izzi Clan of the state.
For instance, the defendant allegedly “prophesied” that an Ebonyi-born entrepreneur, Emeka Mgbore, was a ritualist.
Mr Unadinma was said to have circulated a video clip of the said ‘fake prophecy’ on social media.
Following the prophecy, the entrepreneur who is based in Ogun State, was reportedly attacked and his shops looted by an angry mob in the South-western state.
Also, Mr Unadinma, in a similar incident, allegedly made inciting and defamatory utterances against some residents, including Linus Uguru, and Njoku Iziogo, at Offianka Inyima Community, the police told the court.
Arraignment
The police in Ebonyi State arraigned Mr Unadinma on Monday on the 16 counts, covering four different cases against him.
During the hearing, counsel for the defendant, Emeka Anosike, applied for bail for his client on the four different matters.
Mr Anosike argued that the alleged offences were “bailable”. But the police prosecutor, Mrs Aliede, opposed the bail application, arguing that the offences were both serious and unsettling to the complainants’ image.
She told the court that, for the matter of defamation of character, the offences were punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 33 and 373(a) Criminal Code Cap.33 Vols. 1 Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
However, Magistrate Sandra Ifeanyi-Oyibe granted the defendant bail on the two defamation of character cases to the tune of N2 million each.
Mrs Ifeanyi-Oyibe said the defendant should produce two sureties who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and should also show evidence of tax clearance for three years.
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The magistrate subsequently adjourned the two matters until 15 and 16 September 2025 for hearing.
But she declined to grant bail on the other matters, including attempted murder, arson, malicious damage, and stealing.
The magistrate explained that the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear them.
She directed that the case files should be transferred to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
The remaining matters were equally adjourned till 15 and 16 September 2025.
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