A Port-harcourt based lawyer, Ikechukwu Nwosu was yesterday, the 18th of February 2022, arraigned before the Hon Magistrate, MA. Sadeeq of Court 10, Magistrate Court sitting at Zone 6, Abuja over allegations bordering on criminal defamation, criminal intimidation and injurious falsehood on the petition of Uyi Ogbeobor the owner of Moscow Underground. The lawyer had been detained the day before and was charged before the Magistrate Court on a first information report.

Counsel for the defence were , among several others, Lawal Ijaodola and B.O Anachebe while the prosecution was led by a police prosecutor, Donatus Abah.

The prosecution were about to read the First Information Report when the lead counsel for the defence, Lawal Ijaodola objected to the competence of the First Information Report on the grounds that it was not signed by a known police officer. The Prosecution strangely did not respond on law but rather prayed for a remand order against the Defendant.

The court however stood the matter down for the Friday Jumaa’t prayers and resumed sitting at about 3:00pm

After hearing both parties as well as reviewing other First Information Reports signed by other officers, struck out the charge against the Defendant, but that was not the end for the Defendant.

After the court had risen, the prosecution directed officers to re-arrest the defendant. it was at this point that lawyers in court stood in solidarity with their colleague and prevented the arrest of a lawyer within court premises. The branch secretary, the NBA President and the NBA Committee on relations with security agencies were contacted. The Chief Magistrate also intervened and the defendant was granted administrative bail.