Court discharges Ohakim in alleged false information suit

Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State, was yesterday, discharged and acquitted by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on a three-count criminal charge brought against him by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

This followed a notice of discontinuance filed by the police in relation to the matter.

Titled CR/933/2020 and dated March 12, the request was filed before the court by the Legal Counsel, Legal/Prosecution Section, FCIID, Force Headquarters, Rotshang Faith Dimka.

The notice read in part: “Take notice that the complainant discontinues all of the proceedings in this case against Dr. Ikedi Ohakim with the consent of all the parties.”

Consequently, the charge was struck out by the court.

The IGP had, in the said charge, accused Ohakim of giving false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa.

The police alleged that the erstwhile governor lied that the lady threatened him with a gun and equally made a false claim that he had a plot of land for sale in Lagos.

He was also accused of unlawfully dropping the name of the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, as owner of the purported land situated in Ikeja, Lagos State.

According to the charge that was signed by police prosecutor, Stanley Nwodo, Ohakim committed an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.

The charge read: “That you, Ikedi Ohakim, on or about the 23rd day of May 2019 at Asokoro, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did unlawfully gave false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa, that she threatened you with gun knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.

“That you Ikedi Ohakim, on or about the 23rd day of May, 2019, at Asokoro, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did unlawfully gave false information against one Chinyere Amuchienwa, that you have a plot of land for sale at Lagos State, knowing it to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.

“That you Ikedi Ohakim on or about the 23rd day of May 2019 at Asokoro, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did unlawfully used derogatorily the name of Raji Fashola as owner of the purported land situated at Ikeja, Lagos State and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 140 of the Penal Code Law of the Northern Nigeria, 1968.”

The ex-governor has since pleaded not guilty to the offence.