From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Justice Evelyn Nkeonye Maha of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court has remanded a pentecostal church pastor, Apostle Dr. Kassy Chukwu in custody after his arraignment on a 10-count charge by the Federal Government.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/183/2022,  the Federal Government accused the cleric of various offences bordering on conspiracy, cyberstalking, bullying and blackmail.
The prosecution informed the court that the alleged offences are punishable under Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition) Act, 2015.
It further alleged  that the Defendant, who is the founder of Peniel of God’s Power International Ministries Inc.,  committed the alleged offences on January 23, through various offensive posts and videos he published on his Facebook and Instagram pages.
It told the court that another pastor, Ighosotu Johnnark, who was cited as the 2nd Defendant in the charge, is currently at large.
Federal Government  alleged that the pastor had knowingly and intentionally sent series of offensive messages, wherein he accused the General Overseer of Christ Mercy Land Deliverance Church, Senior Prophet Jeremiah Omoto of organising fake and stage-managed miracles in his church.
The Prosecution alleged that the Defendant had also in another video he published on his social media handles, claimed that the said Prophet Jeremiah, had so many guns hidden inside his Church premises and insisted that he knew the exact location of the guns.
According to the charge, the Defendant, in another video post, called one Prophetess Grace a prostitute that sleeps around with different men that include her spiritual father Prophet Jeremiah, describing her as “Prophetess of disgrace”.
He was said to have intentionally transmitted communication through a computer system or network, “to bully, threaten or harass the person of Prophetess Grace, General Overseer of Solution House of God Ministry and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24 (2a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015”.
Meantime, though the Defendant pleaded guilty to count-three of the charge after it was read to him, he however denied all other allegations FG levelled against him.
Count three of the charge, read: “That you Apostle Dr. Kassy Chukwu ‘M’ 37 years of Peniel of God’s Power
Intl Ministries Inc. and others now at large, on or before 23rd day of January, 2022 within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly and intentionally posted a video that Prophet Jeremiah Omoto alongside his co-pastors are Criminals, Kidnappers and Armed Robbers and that Prophet Jeremiah has been doing fake miracles and defrauding members of the public through your FaceBook page by means of Computer System or network that is grossly offensive or menacing character and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015″.
Shortly after the Defendant entered his plea to the charge, the Prosecution counsel, Mr. Wisdom Madaki, applied for him to be remanded in a Correctional Center.
The application was opposed by the defence lawyer, Mr S. A. Magudu who urged the court to release his client on bail pending the determination of the case against him.
Magudu further drew the attention of the court to an application his client filed on June 22 and begged for his release on bail in very liberal terms.
After she had listened to both parties, trial Justice Nkeonye Maha adjourned till July 20 to rule on the bail application.
The trial judge stressed that in view of the recent attack at the Kuje Correctional Center, the Defendant, should be remanded in police custody, pending the determination of his request for bail.