Court quashes criminal defamation suit against CUPP Pub. Sec., Ikenga

A Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has quashed the criminal defamation suit by the Inspector General of Police against the spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Ikenga Ugochinyere.

The presiding Judge, Justice Binta Mohammed, restrained the Wuse Chief Magistrate, Idayat Olaide, from continuing the trial of Ikenga in the suit filed at the instance of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Clerk of the National Assembly.

Justice Binta Mohammed in her judgment restrained the Defendants, whether by themselves or acting jointly or through their agents, prohibiting them from further conducting any hearing or proceedings against the Applicant in the matter of Commissioner of Police v. Ikenga Ugochinyere before the Chief Magistrate’s Court, Abuja, or on any facts constituting the same subject matter.

The Court order implies that the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies have been restrained from arresting or prosecuting Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere on the set of facts which comprised the allegation brought against him by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and his associates.

The CUPP Spokesperson welcomed the judgement of the court.

The CUPP Spokesperson was arraigned before the Wuse Zone 2 Chief Magistrate Court on June 22, 2020, on allegations of criminal defamation on the report of Speaker Gbajabiamila and the Clerk of the National Assembly.

Ikenga had raised certain allegations against the Speaker perceived to be defamatory.