Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Former Imo governor Ikedi Ohakim has asked a high court in the state to discontinue a N5 billion libel suit he filed against his alleged estranged mistress, Chinyere Amuchienwa.
It came after an Abuja high court acquitted Ohakim in a false information suit filed by the Inspector-General of Police, which has been ordered discontinued.
Ohakim’s counsel Aloy Ejimakor told the court in Owerri the former governor was discontinuing the case after being exonerated by a report from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Ohakim said that he had sought and obtained a copy of the report by the government agency and as such felt that there was no need to continue with the case wince he has been vindicated since he and exonerated.
However Amuchienwa’s counsel, Ifeanyi Nweze, had objected to tendering of the report, saying that it had not been made available to him, but Ohakim’s counsel contended that he was not obliged to avail the report to the respondent since it’s a public document.
This led to an argument between both counsels until the Presiding Justice, Justice G Chukwunyere, had to call them to order on several occasions.
Justice Chukwunyere reserved ruling on the matter and adjourned to April 19, while asking that the respondent should be properly served with the reports of the NAPTIP panel.
Meanwhile outside the court, some protesting women besieged the state high court demanding the physical appearance of Ohakim before the court to answer alleged fraud charges and other matters level against him by Amuchienwa.
The women, wearing black clothes, sang anti-Ohakim songs and marched through the court premises carrying placards.
Some of the placards had such inscriptions as “Ohakim is not above the law, Injustice to one woman is injustice to all, Ohakim, stop running away and face the court”, among others.
Spokesperson of the women, Blessing Opara, told newsmen said that they were in court to show solidarity Amuchienwa whom they claim was unjustly dragged to court by the former governor.
“Ohakim is not above the law, he should show up in court and allow the law to take its course, we are not happy he dragged one of our own to court and has refused to show up himself, he should come out boldly like a man and face the charges.
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