Lawyers have expressed outrage after an Owerri Chief Magistrate, Obinna Njemanze, on Thursday ordered the remand of their colleague, Chinedu Agu, at the Owerri Correctional Centre over opinion articles criticising Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration.
Agu, a vocal critic of the Imo State government, was arraigned on four counts bordering on cyberstalking, criminal defamation and incitement.
Prosecutors alleged that his social media posts describing Imo as “tyranny trapped in sinking bureaucracy” and accusing security agencies of abuses were false, defamatory and capable of inciting unrest, in violation of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.
He pleaded not guilty.
The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, condemned the charges as an attempt to silence dissent, insisting that criticism of government policies is protected under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution.
In a statement signed by its President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, the association pledged to stand by Agu and monitor the proceedings.
Former National Human Rights Commission Chairman, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, also condemned the charges.
Odinkalu, commended the NBA Owerri branch lawyers who turned up in court and at the correctional centre in solidarity with Agu.
In a post on his X handle, Odinkalu wrote: “While we’re still on the case of @ChineduAgu87, I want to give a shout out to the lawyers of Owerri Branch of @NigBarAssoc who showed up at the Magistrates Crt, @FederalHigh & at the Owerri @CorrectionsNg throughout today, under the leadership of Stanley Imo, SAN & M.O Nlemadim.
“Most of them have left everything today in defence of right & are only just beginning to head home this late. They’ll be back tomorrow when, hopefully, we’ll have some righting of the wrong done today by that corrupt order of an errant Magistrate on a transparent errand.”
Senior lawyers, including NBA Owerri branch chairman, Chris Ihentuge, and Eastern Bar Forum chairman, Damian Nosike, attended the hearing.
However, a bail application by Agu’s legal team was denied, with Magistrate Njemanze ruling that he lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case.
He ordered Agu’s continued detention pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP.
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