A Magistrate Court sitting in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi state, Wednesday, declined jurisdiction on the case of the Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ebonyi state chapter, Nwoba Chika Nwoba.
Nwoba who was arraigned before Magistrate Court 2, was allegedly accused publishing false information against Governor Dave Umahi on his Facebook page.
He was also accused of publishing materials capable of disturbing Public peace.
The offence according to the charges against him was punishable under section 4 of the state cybercrimes Prohibition Law No. 012 of 2021.
Nwoba after his arrested three weeks ago was to be arraigned that same weeks but slumped in court.
He was on Wednesday arraigned on 15 count charges.
Delivering the judgment, the presiding Magistrate Blessing Chukwu ruled that the court has no jurisdiction to entertain the matter and ordered that Nwoba be remanded in police custody, undergo Covid-19 test and be taken to Correctional Service Center.
Nwoba’s counsel, Luke Nkwegu had argued before the court that the state cybercrimes Prohibition Law upon which Nwoba was being tried has not been gazetted and prayed the court to grant the defendant bail.
He told journalists that the next line of action was to utilize the provisions of the law to get Nwoba out.
