The Federal Government has set in motion the machinery for the prosecution of a former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, on criminal charges of threat to the life of his mistress, Chinyere Amuchienwa.
Already, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation had on Thursday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that it had taken over the case from the Inspector-General of Police to ensure diligent prosecution.
The court had earlier slated Thursday for the former governor to be arraigned, but when the matter was called, a counsel from the office of the AGF, Bagudu Sani, informed the Court that the office of the AGF had taken over the case by a letter dated March 17, 2021, which he said, had been served on the IGP.
Counsel for the police, Rufus Dimka, opposed to the taking over of the case by the office of AGF on the grounds that the charges preferred against the former governor was prepared by the office of the IGP, said to be the complainant in the case.
However, Justice Taiwo Taiwo told Sani from the office of the AGF that he had taken judicial notice of the letter but added that the counsel should file the letter formally before the court.
He deferred the arraignment of the former governor to May 6, 2021 to enable parties to file and serve written addresses on the property of the office of the AGF taking over the case from the Police.
Ohakim and one Chinedu Okpareke were dragged to the Federal High Court by the police over allegations of threatening and harassing Amuchienwa.
The former governor has been on police administrative bail since November 11 2020.
According to the charge number, FHC/ABJ/CS/287/2020, Ohakim and Okpareke were alleged to have threatened to release a nude photograph of Amuchienwa if she fails to drop charges of attempted kidnap against them.
The Police in the five counts dated November 25, 2020, alleged that Ohakim and Okpareke, knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication through a computer system to harass and bully Amuchienwa, an offence that is punishable under Section 24(1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.
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