By Ugochi Ugochukwu
An Abuja Upper Area Court will deliver a ruling on Friday on the bail request by Hauwa Muhammed, a.k.a Jaruma, in a case filed against her by Chief Ned Nwoko and Regina Daniels.
The police charged Jaruma with false news publication, intimidation and defamation of character.
The Area court judge, Ismailia Abdullahi, adjourned until Friday for the ruling. He also fixed Feb. 23 for trial.
He directed that the defendant should be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre, overruling police request that she be held with them.
In his submission, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr E. A Inegbenoise and Chinedu Ogada told the court that the complainant, Nwoko reported the matter through a written petition from his Lawyer to FCT Police Command for proper investigation on Jan. 20.
Inegbenoise said that the defendant, used various social media platforms, particularly through her Instagram handle to publish falsehood against Nwoko and his wife, Princess Regina to members of the public.
He told the court the defendant gave the false news in order to incite public hatred against Nwoko and his wife to damage their reputation.
Inegbenoise alleged that the defendant through her Instagram handle published that she gave N10 million to Princess Regina Daniels to advertise her illicit product, unknown as Kayanmata.
The prosecutor further said that the defendant published that the complainant and his wife criminally collected her money but failed to deliver the purported contract which never existed.
Inegbenoise, also alleged that the defendant use the product to corrupt public morality through social media advertisement and other unwholesome activities.
He informed the court that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 392, 393, 397 and 418 of the penal code.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecution counsel prayed the court to grant him a date to open his case against the defendant.
“However in view of the fact that the defendant was only arrested Jan 21 and granted bail without having the opportunity to question her, we prayed the court to remand the defendant in police custody for 7 days.
“This is to enable detectives to interrogate her, and execute search warrant in her apartments at her residents,’’ Inegbenoise prayed the court.
Mr James Odibe, counsel to Muhammed, in an oral application for bail, cited sections 35 and 36 (5) of the 1999 constitution and Section 305, 165 (1) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
Odibe told the court that the two parties are celebrities and equally urged the court to grant the defendant bail on self-recognition or in the alternative, in the most liberal terms.
He submitted in addition that the defendant will not jump bail and that she was on police administrative bail.
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