Anambra State Police Command has arraigned the owner and publisher of Igbo Times Magazine and iNews, Mr Ejike Ofoegbu, over alleged publication of false and defamatory reports against the family of Gov. Chukwuma Soludo.
Ofoegbu was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court 1 in Awka on Monday after the conclusion of police investigations.
The suspect was earlier handed over to the police by the Department of State Services (DSS), according to the command.
At the end of the proceedings, the presiding magistrate, Justice Obiora, ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Anambra State Correctional Centre, Amawbia, pending further hearing in the case.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the prosecution followed a petition alleging that the defendant published fabricated reports intended to damage the reputation of the governor’s family and incite public resentment.
Ikenga said investigations indicated that the suspect published several reports within a short period containing what the police described as false claims against the governor and members of his family.
According to him, investigators alleged that the reports were entirely fabricated and presented as direct quotations to give them an appearance of authenticity.
He said the police believed the publications were deliberate and not the result of journalistic errors or inaccurate reporting.
Ikenga further alleged that during interrogation, the defendant admitted that the reports were fabricated and published to generate traffic to his online platform.
The police spokesperson described the case as a misuse of media platforms and said the prosecution was aimed at ensuring accountability through due process.
He urged journalists, bloggers and other media practitioners to uphold professional ethics by verifying information before publication.
Ikenga also advised members of the public to rely on credible sources of information and avoid disseminating unverified reports, warning that the deliberate publication of false information could attract sanctions under the law.
The allegations against the defendant remain before the court, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty
