The Inspector General of Police (IGP) on Thursday arraigned two suspects who allegedly accused a woman, Mrs Uju Akubueze, of murdering her husband’s first wife before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The defendants, Nkiru Ulasi and Ogechukwu Angela, were arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako on allegations bordering on cybercrime offences.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge filed by the Inspector General of Police.
The Police boss had, in the charge filed by John Ijagbemi of the Directorate of Legal Services, Zone 7 Police Headquarters, Abuja, named Ulasi and Angela as 1st and 2nd defendants.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/511/2026, the prosecution accused the defendants of cyberbullying, defamation, threat and false information, among others.
In count three, Nkiru Favour Ulasi, Ogechukwu Angela and others now at large were alleged to have, between March and April 2026, on their WhatsApp and TikTok platforms, committed the illegal act, bordering on cyberstalking.
They were alleged to have deliberately and intentionally sent videos, pictures and WhatsApp conversations in different forms with different dates and times, as misinformation against the person of Mrs Uju Akubueze.
The defendants were said to have “lied and accused Uju Peter Akubueze of killing her husband’s first wife, and labeling her as an HIV carrier, without any justification.”
In count two, the defendants and others now at large were alleged to have, through their WhatsApp and TikTok platforms, published abusive messages with the intent to bully, threaten, defame, harass and spread false information about Mrs Akubueze and her family.
The prosecution said the information, which they knew to be false, is contrary to Section 24 (1) (a) and (b) (2) (a) and (c) and punishable under Section 24(2) (i) (ii) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015 (as amended), 2024.
When the case was called on Thursday, the police lawyer, Ijagbemi, informed the court of the charge and prayed the court to have the charge read to the defendants for them to take their plea.
The defendants’ counsel, Wisdom Elum and Pascal Nnaji, did not oppose the application and, after the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge, the prosecution counsel sought a trial date.
Responding, Elum, who appeared for Ulasi, said though he was not opposing the application for a trial date, he urged the court to give the case accelerated hearing.
The lawyer said he had also filed a bail application on November 5, on behalf of his client.
He said the application, which was filed pursuant to relevant provisions of the law and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court, sought an order admitting Ulasi to bail on liberal terms pending the hearing and determination of the criminal charge preferred against her.
He said though the prosecution filed a counter affidavit, which was served on them some minutes before the commencement of the sitting, he argued that the police had been unable to prove that Ulasi actually jumped bail and therefore prayed the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms.
Elum said their application was attached with a collection of media publications about the matter.
The judge, however, said that though the media could not be stopped from doing their duties, proceedings in the court must be accurately reported.
Nnaji, while moving his motion for bail on behalf of Angela, the second defendant, said the prosecution did not oppose granting her bail.
The lawyer also prayed the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms.
Responding, the prosecution lawyer said they were not objecting to Angela’s application for bail because she did not breach the terms of the administrative bail earlier granted her.
“Therefore, we are leaving it to my lord’s discretion because any time we called her, she answers us,” he said.
Ijagbemi, however, said that the police opposed Ulasi’s bail application because she jumped the administrative bail granted her.
He said a 27-paragraph counter affidavit was filed, urging the court to refuse her bail request.
Justice Nyako, therefore, cautioned Ulasi against breaching bail conditions, which could result in bail revocation.
In a short ruling, the judge held that the offences with which the defendants were being charged were bailable ones and admitted the defendants to a N5 million bail with two sureties in the like sum.
Justice Nyako, who said one of the sureties must be a resident of Abuja, ordered that the defendants should be remanded in a correctional centre pending the perfection of their bail conditions and adjourned the matter till March 23, 2027, for commencement of trial.
