Mercy Chinwo, husband sues five social media users for criminal defamation

Husband of popular singer Mercy Chinwo, Pastor Blessed Uzochikwa, has filed a direct criminal complaint against five persons for criminal defamation through his lawyers, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi, Esq.

Consequently, a Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, has summoned five social media users for “criminal defamation” of the reputation of gospel singer Mercy Chinwo and her husband, Blessed Uzochikwa.

Mercy Chinwo’s husband said the alleged acts of criminal defamation were carried out through the deliberate circulation of injurious falsehood, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking.

The five defendants are Okoronkwo Ejike, Kingsley Ibeh, DJ Spoiltkid, Terrence Ekot, and Samuel Agozie, and they are to appear before the court on April 23, 2024.

In the court summons dated April 3, 2024, Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna ordered the five defendants to appear in person before the court on April 23, 2023, to answer the charges levelled against them.

The suit stemmed from posts made by the defendants last week alleging that the complainants’ child was fathered by a gospel musician, Nathaniel Bassey.

The gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo and her husband had posted a picture of their son, who was born in 2023, on Instagram.

In a criminal complaint filed by the complainants’ lawyers, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi of Abuja-based media firm Law Corridor, Mercy Chinwo and her husband said the alleged actions of the defendants amounted to cyber intimidation, injurious falsehood, and cyberstalking targeted at their persons.

The complainants said the alleged actions of the defendants are contrary to Sections 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24(1)(B) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015.

The lawyers said the “individuals criminally injured the reputation and image of the complainants across the globe resulting from their intentional defamatory posts and an act of cyberstalking.”.

Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna thereafter directed the five defendants to appear before the court on April 23, 2024, to answer the charges.