Man Arrested For Malicious Publication Against Anambra Govt.

According to Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Haruna Muhammed, who paraded the suspect before pressmen, the accused had on the fifteenth of January, 2021 gone on social media to make false and malicious publication captioned ‘COVID-19 IN AWKA’ in which he alleged that coronavirus had hit Government House Awka, with more than 30 senior government officials including Governor Obiano on isolation and that the late Igwe Kelly Nkeli of Igbariam contracted the virus after visiting the governor to thank him for lifting his suspension and died three days to the last ofala celebration’.

The suspect also alleged that the virus was brought into Government House by Mrs Maureen Odili from USA who is the wife of the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Primus Odili, along with other malicious and libelous publications.

According to Mr Muhammed, who spoke on behalf of the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr John Abang, the series of falsehood and inciting messages which were made for the purpose of causing annoyance, criminal intimidation, enemity, hatred and needless anxiety contravene Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention Etc) Act of 2015.

While stating that the Command intends to get to the root of the matter, Mr. Abang observed that the above background is necessary to underscore the resolve of the Police Command to unravel those behind the documents being circulated online as well as the malicious publications.

Responding to the alleged offences, the accused, Mr. Chinwuba denied making such publications, saying that the posts must have been made by someone else who logged into his social media accounts as his laptop was stolen last month.