Court Summons Social Media Users Over Defamation, Cyberstalking of Mercy Chinwo

The Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 2, has summoned five social media users for alleged “criminal defamation” of the reputation of gospel singer Mercy Chinwo and her husband, Blessed Uzochikwa.

In a court summons dated April 3, 2024, Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna ordered the defendants – Okoronkwo Ejike, Kingsley Ibeh, DJ Spoiltkid, Terrence Ekot, and Samuel Agozie – to appear before the court on April 23, 2024, in response to charges filed by the complainants.

The summons follows posts made by the defendants on social media alleging that a picture of Mercy Chinwo and her husband’s son resembled another gospel singer, Nathaniel Bassey, implying paternity fraud.

Mercy Chinwo

In a criminal complaint filed by the couple’s lawyers, the actions of the defendants are described as cyber intimidation, injurious falsehood, and cyberstalking, contravening penal and cybercrime laws.

The complainants’ lawyers, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi of Law Corridor, asserted that the defendants’ posts had criminally injured the reputation of Mercy Chinwo and her husband, constituting intentional defamation and cyberstalking.

Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna directed the defendants to appear before the court on April 23, 2024, to respond to the charges.