The Ebonyi State Police Command has arraigned two men, Justice Ozobi and Isaac Edeh, over alleged false and malicious publications accusing the Commissioner of Police, CP Hope Okafor of collecting N700,000 each from six families to secure their release from police custody.
The allegation, which amounted to N4.2m in purported payments, was made by Ozobi in a social media publication concerning a matter involving HRH Eze Sunday Oketa and others.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abakaliki on Wednesday, saying the suspects were prosecuted following discreet investigations into the publication.
According to the Command, Ozobi had alleged that the Commissioner of Police collected N700,000 from each of the six families in connection with their release on bail over a purported land dispute involving the families and a traditional ruler.
The police said it promptly issued a rebuttal, describing the allegation as false and without basis, while challenging Ozobi to produce evidence to substantiate the claim.
Rather than provide the requested evidence, the Command alleged that Ozobi, in a subsequent rejoinder, maintained his position.
The police further alleged that Ozobi admitted that a photograph of a former Commissioner of Police, which accompanied the publication, was deliberately used to attract the attention of the Command.
The Command said Ozobi was subsequently arrested alongside Edeh, whom he allegedly identified as the source of the information contained in the publication.
It said the suspects, during interrogation, referred investigators to a matter involving Eze Sunday Oketa and others, but stressed that the circumstances surrounding that matter were materially different from the claims published by Ozobi.
According to the statement, the individuals concerned had been investigated following a petition bordering on alleged malicious damage and were subsequently charged to court.
The Command emphatically denied that the persons were released on police bail.
It also rejected the claim that the matter was a land dispute, saying it neither investigated, mediated nor adjudicated any land dispute involving the parties.
“At no point did the Command investigate, mediate or adjudicate any land dispute involving the parties in question, nor did the Commissioner of Police demand or receive ₦700,000 from any of the families as alleged,” Ukandu stated.
The police further said that during interrogation, Ozobi and Edeh failed to produce evidence of the alleged payments.
The Command said the suspects could neither identify anyone to whom the purported money was paid nor provide credible facts or documentary material capable of substantiating the allegation against the Commissioner of Police.
The police stressed that its action was not intended to stifle legitimate criticism or lawful complaints against its officers.
The Command, however, warned that it would continue to pursue legal remedies against publications it considers deliberately false or malicious and capable of undermining public confidence in the police or damaging the reputation of its officers.
