Singer Mercy Chinwo and her husband, Blessed Uzochikwa, have also taken legal action against five social media users for defamation.
The couple filed a lawsuit after Nathaniel Bassey petitioned the Nigerian Inspector General of Police (IGP) over claims that he fathered Mercy’s six-month-old son.
The defendants, Okoronkwo Ejike, Kingsley Ibeh, DJ Spoiltkid, Terrence Ekot, and Samuel Agozie, alleged that the gospel singer was the biological father of Mercy’s son.
They made the allegations on their social media accounts when Mercy and her husband, Uzochikwa, unveiled their son’s identity on social media on March 29.
The lawsuit was filed by the complainants’ lawyers, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi of the Abuja-based law firm Law Corridor.
Subsequently, the Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 2, on April 3 summoned the five defendants for defamation based on the complaints.
Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna directed the defendants to appear in person before the court on April 23rd to address the charges brought against them by Mercy Chinwo and her husband.
The complaints said the defendants’ alleged actions constituted cyber intimidation, injurious falsehood, and cyberstalking targeted at them.
They also argued that the defendant’s alleged actions contravene Section 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24(1)(B) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015.
“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.”
In a swift reaction, two of the defendants, the post originator, Ejike, and DJ SpoiltKid, who retweeted, have apologized to Bassey and Mercy Chinwo on their social media handles. Their apology has since been criticized by some social media users.
Meanwhile, the other three defendants have yet to respond to or react to the petitions.
Source: Ghana/MaxTV/MaxFM/max.com.gh/Joyceline Natally Cudjoe
