Defamation Of Character: Magistrate Convicts Two Chiefs

A Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt has convicted two persons in Rumueme community over defamation of character.
Chief Magistrate Promise Iroanya convicted Chief Friday Chinda on four out of five count charge and Chief Promise Ogoloma on one out of five count charge.
The duo had petitioned the court and claimed that the accused had embezzled family money amounting to N5.5million.
After weighing the evidence and charges, the Chief Magistrate averred that their claims were defamatory and against the Criminal Code Laws of the Federation.
The Chairman of the Oro-Ogoloma family, Nduka Godspower Dickman was exonerated from financial misappropriation.
Chief Friday Chinda was convicted of four out of the five count charge, and Chief Promise Ogoloma was convicted of 1 out of the 5 count charge.
The matter had dragged on and subsequently was charged to court over five counts of defamation of character, conspiracy, false information and breach of public peace.
The Chief Magistrate while delivering judgement on the matter acquitted the second defendant of the charges and awarded a compensation of N500,000 to him.
Dickman while condemning the act of the petitioners and members of the family observed that the matter would have been settled in-house, if not for the insistence of the petitioners who sought police intervention.
On his part, The police prosecutor for Chief Magistrate Court 1, Assistant Superintendent of Police Zacheaus Mbah said he was satisfied with the outcome of the court process.
The matter started in 2019 and has ended victoriously. On count three, the court exonerated the second defendant that he did not make any publication in writing.