The federal government has machinery in motion to prosecute the former Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim on criminal charges bordering on threats to the life of an Abuja-based woman, Mrs Chinyere Amuchienwa.
Recall that Ohakim and one Chinedu Okpareke were dragged to the federal high court by the police over allegations of threatening and harassing Mrs Chinyere Amuchienwa.
In the five-count charge dated November 25, 2020, the police alleged that Ohakim and Okpareke, knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication through a computer system to harass and bully Amuchienwa, an offence that is punishable under Section 24(1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.
Ohakim and Okpareke were alleged to have threatened to release a nude photograph of Amuchienwa if she fails to drop charges of attempted kidnap against them.
However, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on Thursday told a federal high court in Abuja that it has taken over the trial of the former governor from the Inspector General of Police IGP to ensure diligent prosecution when the case was mentioned.
Counsel from the office of the AGF, Bagudu Sani informed the court that the office of the AGF took over the case by a letter dated March 17, 2021, which he said had been served on the Inspector General of Police IGP.
The Counsel to the Police, Rufus F Dimka, however, opposed the taking over of the case by the office of AGF on grounds that the charges against the former governor were prepared by the office of the IGP, whom she said is the complainant in the case.
Delivering Judgement, the trial judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo told Sani from the office of the AGF that he had taken judicial notice of the letter but that the Counsel should file the letter formally before the court.
The judge deferred the arraignment of the former governor to May 6, 2021, to enable parties file and serve written addresses on the propriety of the office of the AGF taking over the case from the Police.
