Court orders blogger’s detention over alleged malicious publication

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday ordered that a 29-year-old blogger, Desmond Ike-Chima, be remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons over alleged malicious publication.

Ike-Chima, arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on the alleged offence, pleaded not guilty.

Justice Mohammed Yunusa, however, ordered his remand and adjourned the case till Nov. 6 for hearing of his bail application.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused was alleged to have written a malicious publication against the Managing Director of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Philips Oduoza.

The prosecutor, Henry Obiazi, told the court that the accused and others, now at large, committed the offence sometime in March at Ojodu, Lagos.

He said the accused had published an article entitled “Randy UBA MD, Philips Oduoza, in Adultery Mess: Romances Star Actress, Genevieve Nnaji.”

He alleged that the publication was aimed at causing “annoyance, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will and needless anxiety” to the ban executive.

According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened the provision of Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrime Prohibition Prevention Act, Laws of the Federation, 2015.

(NAN)