Cyber crime: Actress docked, remanded in prison custody over ‘malicious facebook post’ against Akwukwuegbu

By Steve Oko

A popular actress, Chioma Toplis, was yesterday, docked at Umuahia Magistrate Court 1 for allegedly posting a malicious publication on her Facebook page against the Chairman of Abia State Traditional Prime Ministers Council, High Chief Uche Akwukwuegbu popularly known as BAWAS.

In a one count charge entitled:”Inspector General of Police vs Chioma Toplis ‘f’ aged 48″,  the accused commited the alleged offense between May 28, and 31, 2021.

The charge sheet marked 124c/2022 and signed by SE Onyemauche, a Chief Superintendent of Police read:

” That you Chioma Toplis ‘f’ between the 28th and 31st of May, 2021, while residing in Nigeria, and being a social network user, and being under the Umuahia North Magisterial District and knowingly and maliciously published in your Facebook page “CHIOMA TOPLIS” the following : “Ur rapist father invited his daughter in-law (now Ex) to Nigeria without his son’s consent and slept with her”.

” You equally called him a ritualist who used his last daughter as the sacrificial lamb of the family, hence she is perpetually sick and hidden in the house. A publication which you know to be false and intended to cause annoyance, inconveniences, danger, obstruction, enmity, hatred, ill-will or needless anxiety to the person of Chief Uche Akwukwuegbu, the Chairman of Abia State Traditional Prime Ministers Council, a renowned Community Leader and business mogul, and you thereby commited an offense punishable under Section 24(b)of the Cyber Crime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015, as applicable in Abia State.

After reading the count charge, there was no plea, and the trial Chief Magistrate,  Idika Kalu, ordered that the accused be remanded at the Afara Correctional Centre.

The matter was adjourned till April 14.

Later in an interview, Chief Akwukwuegbu who identified the accused as his sister in-law expressed grief that she resorted to blackmailing him “for who knows what”.

The business mogul who claimed innocence of all the allegations said he was still at a loss why the accused would resort to cheap blackmail to disrepute him, insisting that she has to substantiate her claims.

He alleged that the accused had boasted that “she is highly connected and untouchable after rubbishing me on her Facebook page but she has to prove it at the court”.