BREAKING: Judge Rules Federal High Court Lacks Power Over Criminal Defamation In Nigerian Police Case Against Social Media Influencer, Ijele

In its arguments, Falana and Co. submitted that “this Honourable Court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain this amended fee.”

A Federal Excessive Court in Lagos has dominated that the court docket lacks the vitality to test out the offence of criminal defamation.

The court docket acknowledged this while pushing apart two of the three counts of cybercrime charges introduced in opposition to social media blogger, Mr. Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu, popularly identified as Ijele.

SaharaReporters earlier on Friday reported that a Federal Excessive Court in Lagos had struck out two of the three counts of cybercrime charges introduced in opposition to the social media influencer.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, the court docket also nullified the preliminary stringent bail prerequisites that had stored Ijele in detention center.

Honest luminary, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), had filed a preliminary objection traumatic the validity of his trial for alleged cybercrime offences. 

The charges have been introduced in opposition to Ijele by the police on behalf of Evangelist Ebuka Obi, the chief of the Zion Prayer Ministry Motion Outreach.

It turned into once earlier reported that the court docket also ordered the correctional service to straight away free up Ijele’s medical records to his lawyers.

Within the meantime, regarding Rely 3, with out a doubt among the counts pushed aside by the court docket, turned into once pushed aside on the bottom that the Federal Excessive Court lacks the jurisdictional competence to test out the offence of criminal defamation.

Ijele had challenged the jurisdiction of a Federal Excessive Court in Lagos to resolve its cybercrime and criminal defamation case.

Rely 3 reads, “That you just Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu ‘M’ in the future in February 2024 at Oshodi Lagos Assert interior the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did commit an illegal act to wit: Defamation, while you happen to Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu and others now at smartly-organized Criminally faded your social media address “The King of the recreation” made a vexatious and execrable Publications in opposition to the person of Evang. Ebuka Obi the non secular director of Zion Motion Outreach Ministry situate in Lagos with the intent to annoy, exposing him to hatred, contempt and ridicule him by purporting him to be performing counterfeit and arranged miracles and deceiving contributors of the Public which attracted several views from third events and by so doing, you are going to have criminally disparage, lower his estimation and wound the popularity of Evang. Ebuka Obi and his Ministry earlier than the resplendent pondering contributors of the Public and also you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 373 and 374 of the Prison Code Act, Punishable underneath fragment 375 of the Prison Code Act.”

Ijele, thru his team of lawyers led by Mr Femi Falana (SAN) in a Perceive of Preliminary Objection dated June 28, 2024, urged the court docket to strike out the case.

The case turned into once filed by the Inspector Fashioned of Police because the Complainant/Respondent.

The Perceive filed by his lawyers reads, “TAKE NOTICE that the Defendant/Applicant is traumatic the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court on the following grounds: Rely 1 of the fee alleges conspiracy is in opposition to the law because the Defendant can no longer conspire in opposition to himself.

“Rely 2 of the amended Designate is in opposition to the law and unconstitutional because: A) The Nationwide Assembly lacks the vires to cease regulations on phonographic. materials. B) It is primarily based totally on the Cybercrime Act 2015.

“Rely 3 alleges offences that plunge interior the jurisdiction of the relate Excessive Court.”

The eye requested “whether or no longer this Honourable Court has jurisdiction to entertain this fee, as currently couched”.

In its arguments, Falana and Co. submitted that “this Honourable Court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain this amended fee.”

In June, Deji Adeyanju & Companions, thru with out a doubt one of their lawyers, Silas Onwugbonu, Esq., raised the fright over Ijele’s deteriorating smartly being situation.

The lawyers in a public assertion dated June 24, 2024, lamented that the influencer’s smartly being situation had worsened to the level of coughing up blood.