An Anambra State Magistrate Court sitting in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area, has ordered the remand of publisher and blogger, Ejike Ofoegbu, over alleged criminal defamation of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, members of his family and his son, Ozonna Soludo.
Ofoegbu, publisher of Igbo Times Magazine and INews, was remanded at the Awka Correctional Centre on Monday following an ex parte application filed by the prosecution, pending the conclusion of police investigations and legal advice from the Anambra State Attorney General.
The application, brought before the court by prosecuting counsel A.A. Nwanri in Suit No. M/W/3136/2026, sought an order to keep the defendant in custody while investigators complete their probe and forward the case file for prosecution.
The prosecution, supported by the Chief Security Officer to the Anambra State Government, O.K. Nkuma, and Inspector Tochukwu Echemagu of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Awka, alleged that the blogger deliberately published fabricated and defamatory stories about Governor Soludo and his family across various online platforms to generate internet traffic and financial gains.
According to the prosecution, Ofoegbu allegedly circulated false reports claiming that Governor Soludo publicly disowned his son, Ozonna, that the son described his father as “a drunkard who beat my mum,” and that the governor engaged in a drinking competition with a serving federal minister.
The prosecution argued that the reports were entirely false, malicious and intended to damage the reputation and public image of the governor and his family.
It further maintained that the alleged offences contravened Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 as amended in 2024, relating to cyberstalking, as well as Section 38 on identity theft and impersonation. The prosecution also relied on Sections 373 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act, which criminalise the publication of defamatory materials.
In his ruling, Magistrate C.O. Ezekwere directed the police to compile and transmit the original case file and all exhibits to the Office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Anambra State, for legal advice.
The court also ordered that the record of proceedings be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Awka.
Magistrate Ezekwere held that the Magistrate Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the substantive charges and consequently declined jurisdiction over the defendant’s bail application.
“The application for bail before this Court is hereby refused for want of jurisdiction. If you understand your rights, you should immediately proceed to the High Court in Awka to apply for bail. You are represented by counsel; consult your lawyer, who knows the appropriate legal steps to take,” the magistrate ruled.
The court further entered the Chief Security Officer to the governor and the investigating police officer into recognisance of ₦50,000 each to testify before the High Court whenever required until the matter is concluded.
The case was adjourned to July 27, 2026, for a report on compliance with the court’s directives.
The prosecution noted that although Ofoegbu had previously issued a public apology and retracted the disputed publications, the state decided to proceed with the criminal case, insisting that the apology does not extinguish any criminal liability arising from the alleged offences.
It maintained that the defendant remains liable to prosecution for alleged criminal defamation, cyberstalking, identity theft and impersonation under the relevant provisions of the law.