Police arraign 40-year-old in Makurdi over Facebook posts

A forty year old man, Mr. Cornelius Hwande of Ankpa Quarters Extension Makurdi, was yesterday arraigned before a Makurdi Upper Area Court, for criminal intimidation and defamation/libel of character. Mr. Hwande is standing trial over threats and defamatory/libelous posts made on the Social Media (Facebook) against the Executive Secretary of the Teaching Service Board, Dr. Wilfred Uji. Prosecuting Police Officer, Inspector Veronica Shaagee, told the court that on the 19th of August, 2018, the Executive Secretary reported to the Police that he went to the staff Guest House and discovered that his former Personal Assistant, one Iortswam Vaakaa, already standing trial before the same court, broke into the Guest House and stole items worth N100, 000. Prosecution explained that, further investigation into the case revealed that the said Cornelius Hwande and others now at large, conspired and threatened the complainant, the TSB boss on GSM, SMS, text messages and social media, and thereafter went on Facebook to blackmail him. When the case came up, the accused person pleaded not guilty to the charge. Prosecution, however, told the court that investigation was still in progress and asked for another date. Counsel for the accused person, Mr. Titus Hundu applied for bail of the accused saying he would not jump bail or temper with the Police investigation and wrote an undertaking to bring him on any adjournment date. The defense counsel also applied that the handset belonging to the accused be given back to him as the Police has already printed the text messages complained of. Ruling, the Makurdi Upper Area Court Judge, Mrs. Rose Iyorshe, granted bail to the accused on self recognition at the sum of two hundred thousand naira and adjourned the case till the 25 September, for further hearing.