A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Makurdi has remanded a 35-year old man, Paul Gyenger in the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Makurdi, for allegedly defaming Governor Hyacinth Alia and insulting him on his social media.
He is alleged to have called the Governor a “chronic womanizer.”
Alia is a celibate Catholic priest.
Gyenger, an indigene of the State was charged with the case of cyber stalking and defamation of character brought by the police.
Our correspondent gathered that the case was first reported to the Benue State Police Command by the Governor’s ADC, ASP Ver Ingyatu,.
ASP Ingyatu alleged that the suspect posted on a Facebook account bearing the name Terna Sunday Tyo, alleging that “the Governor is a chronic womanizer.”
He also said that the suspect used abusive words in the Tiv language to defame the Governor’s character in various ways on the same Facebook account.
When the case came up for mention on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, the prosecution counsel, Inspector Godwin Ato, informed the court that the case was reported at the Anti-cyber-crimes and Narcotics Unit in Makurdi by the ADC to the Governor, ASP Ver Ingyatu, on October 16, 2024.
Inspector Ato confirmed that the complainant also stated that the suspect defamed the Governor using abusive words in the Tiv language on the same Facebook account.
The presiding Chief Magistrate, Kelvin Mbanongun, did not take the suspect’s plea for lack of jurisdiction and ordered that the suspect be remanded in prison.
He adjourned the matter to December 17, 2024 for further mention.
