An Anambra State Magistrate’s Court sitting at Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area has sentenced one Solomon Anusike, of Eziagu community, to six months imprisonment for giving Police false information.
Cell Anusike was found guilty on a two-count charge of giving Police false information and defamation, and sentenced to three months in jail on each count.
However, the sentences are to run concurrently,Vanguard reports.
Anusike was charged for accusing Chief John Oforbuike, a Lagos-based clearing agent and former President General of Eziagu Town Union of embezzling N6 million belonging to the community as well as accusing him of killing one Thaddeus Okoye.
During the trial, which spanned over three years, the prosecution called four witnesses, including Oforbike and a police officer, Corporal Innocent Ndu, who investigated the allegations, while the defendant (Anusike) called six witnesses.
Evaluating the evidence before delivering judgment, presiding magistrate, M. I. Ogolo, noted that Anusike “did not give evidence to support his claim that the money was not used for the purpose for which it was meant.”
The judge added that an annual presidential address by Oforbike “contains monetary donations made by individuals and bodies as well as expenditure for the relevant period.” Ogolo added that the address was distributed to members of the union, saying if the convict was sincere he would have enough material to prove his allegation of embezzlement.
“It is in the light of the above that I hold that the defendant gave the Police false information and to a person in authority which he knows to be false with a view to making the officer use his authority to the detriment of the PW1,” Ogolo held
Emeh Achanga,the CEO of the Miss Petite Nigeria Brand is a lawyer turned blogger. She is very passionate about writing, with several publications and awards to her credit .She is currently working on publishing a collection of short stories which are basically a memoir about her exciting true experiences.
