Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
A mild drama ensued at a Magistrates’ Court in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, yesterday when a 31-year-old laboratory assistant, Mr. Chukwunenye Nweke, mounted the dock with his mouth sealed with bandages and elastic gum.
Chukwunenye is urging the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Zone 9, to release documentary evidence and findings of investigation reports on his letters to him between July 10, 2014, and May 9, 2019, to enable him defend himself in the suit against him.
The suspect is standing trial on a two-count-charge of defamation and threat to life of Dr. Anuli Aguiyi in suit No MAW/97C/2019.
According to the charge sheet, Nweke, about the month of May 2018, in Awka Magisterial District, did a publication on Facebook where he alleged that Aguiyi obtained judgment against him by fraud or inducement of the judge, which he knew to be false with intent to cause damage to her reputation.
The charge further said that the suspect, about the same time and jurisdiction, threatened to kill or harm Aguiyi over the judgment against him in A/MISC.305/2017.
Aguiyi, who was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, U.S Ekpo, said the said publication made on Facebook had caused harm to her as her workplace, church and town union had denied her some privileges and right over the allegations.
She said she also got threatening phone calls, but when asked about evidence like call logs from service providers, she said she did not have them.
S.I Obinwa, counsel to Nweke, told the court that his client came into the court with mouth gagged because his prosecutors did not want him to defend himself. Obinwa said the documents needed by the defendant to make his case were still with the police and urged the court to make an order for the police to release them to Nweke.
In his ruling, the Magistrate, Mike Anyadiegwu, said Nweke only needed to apply and pay the necessary fee to get the CTC of the documents from police, adding that no court order was needed.
Anyadiegwu adjourned the matter to August 2 for continuation of evidence in chief of PW1.
Speaking to journalists after the session, Nweke who also bore a one-man placard in protest said he was protesting because Zone 9 Police Command, Umuahia, sued him and denied him all the requisite documents in his case file after they defended his opponent in the matter.